Family Portrait
by Mommyzilla
Summary: "Family isn't always blood. It's the people in your life who want you in theirs. The ones who accept you for who you are. The ones who would do anything to see you smile, and who love you no matter what." Unknown
1. Chapter 1

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

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Chapter 1

Elizabeth took her mug of hot chocolate and headed down to the water. She loved the beach, and the ocean. There was something about looking out and seeing water all the way to the horizon that resonated with her soul. It made her happy, and gave her a sense of peace. Since coming to California she had made sure to visit the beach often. At first it had been once a week, but after she arrived at the waterfront home she was now staying in she started her day by dipping her toes into the ocean.

Almost a month ago she had boarded a plane and left upstate New York. The fact that she was on the west coast wasn't that surprising. This was a regular trip for her. What was surprising was the amount of time that she was staying. Normally she flew in for a couple of days, a week tops. It just turned out that this year she had two reasons, outside of her normal one to visit California. So instead of flying in and out three separate times she decided she was due for a vacation.

It had been awhile since downtime happened, and it felt nice. She had plenty of money in the bank so taking time off was not a problem. On one hand she did miss her friends in New York, but on the other she got to hang out with friends that she generally only had dinner with once a year.

The first reason she flew down was to celebrate a new life beginning. Her friend from college, Penny, had given birth to a beautiful little girl about a month ago. Elizabeth had been invited to the christening and she happily accepted. Penny had offered up her guest room and asked Liz to come down a little early so they could hang out and catch up. Skyping kept them in contact, but sitting up late at night to hang out hadn't happened in far too long.

Liz did fly in, but mindful that a lot of family would be over to the house she booked a hotel room. That reunion had been fun and a lot of stories from college, most of which were really embarrassing were laughed over. Some bittersweet times were remembered as well. All in all it had been a wonderful visit to San Diego which was where Penny now called home.

From there Liz drove to Beverly Hills for her second reason to be in state. The wedding of a childhood friend. She had rented a convertible for her time on the coast and was enjoying that it was early April and she could put the top down occasionally. From previous times here she knew that driving in LA would not be done with the sun shining down on her too often. Traffic was as bad as everyone said, and by the time she got from one place to another she would be burned to a crisp.

The wedding was spectacular and after a week there she had driven to Malibu, where two solid weeks of vacationing was going to happen. It didn't take long at all to settle into the life of a beach bum. Most days she didn't even leave her house other than to go down and walk on the sand. For the first time in a really long time she was lazy, and it felt great. She could feel her batteries recharging.

Not that life was super stressful. You couldn't say life was hard when you could work in your pajamas if the mood struck you. Although Liz didn't, in fact she made it a point to leave her apartment at least once a day. Since she was actually ahead in her work this was the perfect time to just kick back and relax for a bit. She had earned this break.

You also couldn't say life was stressful when you lived in a luxury building surrounded by hot guys. It was funny that the park view she paid a good penny to get wasn't nearly as appealing as the one she got from the treadmill in the gym.

Not that she was dating any of those examples of male beauty. Most of the guys were like big brothers to her. It was a nice feeling to know that she had someone to turn to if she needed anything. Her family at one point had been extremely close and then in the blink of an eye everything changed. That was why Liz ended up in Port Charles, it was about as far from her former life as she could get and still be in the country. She had needed the space, something that was echoed by the other members of her family. They all ran in different directions as fast as they could.

Her phone rang and she played a guessing game with herself as to who might be on the other end of the line. Taking calls from most people didn't happen the past couple of weeks. She wanted the silence. However she always answered when Jason called.

At least once a day since leaving New York she had talked to him. Most of the time it was at night when she was already in her pajamas and curled up on the couch, or in bed. He generally had more free time at the end of the day as long as everything was quite. They were strictly friends but she would be lying if she said that she didn't want to be more.

Jason, however, wasn't in the market for a relationship at the moment. A few years before they met he had lost his girlfriend. Robin had walked out of General Hospital after a volunteer shift and simply vanished. A few days later her body turned up. The case was still unsolved. Jason was convinced she had lost her life because of him. There were certain things about the condition of the body that screamed mafia hit.

His friends pointed out the many enemies both Robin's parents, and godparents, had. Johnny even reminded his friend that Anna had once been married to the head of another family, so even if this was a mob hit it might not have a thing to do with them. Jason wasn't hearing it. He just knew that he had caused his girlfriend's death. Her family members did have enemies, so did he, but his were in state. Since then he hadn't been in a relationship and had no plans to change that stance.

Which meant she just admired his hotness in silence, and counted him among the people she trusted most in the world. Carly had done her best to get Jason to ask Liz out. She was convinced they would be perfect together. And because Carly wanted everyone to be as in love as she was. The only thing that made her finally give up was the fact that she moved to London with AJ. It was hard to play matchmaker with an ocean between them.

"Hello?" She answered laughing at the picture on her phone.

"Hey." Brenda was smiling something her friend would hear.

"Hey." Liz kicked off her shoes and used the towel by the door to clean her feet before entering the house. She took the phone into the kitchen so she could rinse out her mug. "How is married life treating you?"

"Amazing." The model told her friend. They had grown up in the same small little town in Colorado. Even when the Barrett family moved away Brenda had kept in touch with Sarah and Elizabeth. Despite the many miles that ended up between them, Brenda spent several years in Europe, the friendships never faltered. Having Liz at her wedding made the day even more special. "How are you enjoying Malibu?"

"It's wonderful. I've had many a celebrity sighting since I came down." Liz had shocked Brenda when she announced that she was going to be in California longer than her normal week. Her friend applauded the move saying that a vacation was long overdue. The model believed that you should play as hard as you worked.

"Do tell." Brenda was in her Beverly Hills mansion prepping for her day. A late morning photoshoot which would introduce her as the face for a well-known fashion house. After being discovered in a park back in Colorado her parents moved them to California, and her career had taken off. She had been a successful teen model and was now one of the most sought after faces on the planet.

"I'd rather here about your upcoming tropical honeymoon." Liz told her friend.

"Since we haven't left yet there isn't anything to tell. So that will wait until you come visit again." Brenda told her friend. They weren't leaving for another couple of weeks because both she and her hubby had business to attend to before they had free time. "I actually called because I wanted to know how your meeting went."

"It hasn't happened yet." Liz reported as she grabbed an apple and gave it a good wash.

"I could have sworn that you said the meeting was this week." Brenda said changing yoga positions. Bluetooth technology was a wonderful thing, she was a world class multi-tasker and not having to hold a phone was great.

"It is. Felix is coming over today. You've lived here long enough to know that business is not done this early in the morning." Liz said leaning against the counter. Most folks in the entertainment industry, who weren't on a set, didn't even get to their offices before ten.

"Ain't that the truth?" Brenda laughed at that statement. "During most of the week we just spend all our time playing golf." Friday and Saturday nights were when the power meetings took place and business deals were conducted. "Just remember that all the fame and fortune you have are because of me."

Liz couldn't help but laugh. "I am forever in your debt." She said in a voice that indicated that wasn't at all true.

"You have no gratitude." Brenda loved her calls to Liz. Her friend helped keep her grounded. Everyone else pretty much gave Brenda anything she demanded. "I showed him the sketch you did of me." It was framed in her office. "When he asked about the artist I couldn't help but brag on my talented friend. I love that sketch, you know that. I look amazing in it."

"I'm not his client because of one sketch." Liz reminded her friend.

"Who is telling this story?" Brenda asked moving into mountain pose. She now had six sketches by her friend in this house. Two landscapes, a still life, one example of surrealism. A sketch of Herby, her spoiled Pomeranian, and one of her now husband Alek's Shelby Cobra. "Felix was very impressed. He asked me to give you his number."

"And a legend was born." Liz said grinning.

"They say I have an ego." Brenda laughed as she finished her workout. Liz was about the furthest thing from an ego maniac you could find. "So I called to tell you something. Don't kill me okay?"

"Why would I want to kill you?" Liz asked slowly. This was a running theme from growing up. It usually meant that they were about to get into a lot of trouble. But it would be really fun, and totally worth it."

"I might be spending some time in Port Charles." Brenda started her story.

"Why?" Liz wanted to know. Brenda had been to the harbor town once. By the end of her visit the guys were praying she never returned. Despite their closeness Liz was aware that her friend was a complete diva.

"My agent is trying to hammer out a deal that would make me the face of Deception cosmetics." Brenda shared her news. "That would be awesome because I'd need to come to New York several times a year."

"Um Brenda, you do know that my friend Jason owns Deception right?" Liz started slowly.

"Yeah I know. Look, he might be the biggest jackass I've ever met but the company makes really good products. They are one of the biggest brands on the planet." Brenda only worked with the best these days.

Liz had spent a lot of time keeping her friends apart when Brenda was in Port Charles. Everyone had taken an instant dislike to the model. Especially Jason. "He's a really nice guy."

"He drove me crazy." Brenda said rolling her eyes. His only redeeming quality was the major crush he had on Liz. The one he thought no one knew about.

"That's a short trip Bren." Liz replied laughing.

"But a scenic one." Brenda said poking fun at herself. "It's not a done deal, but my agent is confident it will happen. I'll call when I have more news."

"Okay." Liz knew Skye, who ran her brother's company, would sign Brenda because it was a smart business move. She also knew that there was no way photo shoots would take place in Port Charles. More than likely Jason would send the woman he called a "high maintenance pain in the ass" to Europe. Or somewhere tropical.

"Are you ever going to just jump him and get it over with?" Brenda wanted to know. She was aware that Jason wasn't the only one crushing.

"It's complicated." Liz replied not wanting to have this conversation, again.

"No it's not. Men are not complicated. Guilt is a useless emotion. So his girlfriend died, its time he got over it, and recognized the awesome woman right under his nose." Brenda said reaching for a bottle of water. "You are just as much to blame for the fact that the two of you are still in the friend zone. This isn't the fifties anymore, it is now socially acceptable for a woman to make the first move." The model lectured.

"Pushy." Was Liz's only comment.

"Yes. You have known me long enough that you shouldn't be surprised." Brenda told her friend. "By the time I return from my honeymoon I expect to hear that the status of the relationship has changed. Okay, gotta go which means my fixing your life is over for the day." It was time for her massage. "Chat you another day."

"Toodles." Liz said grinning as she hung up. It was nice to be loved. Taking her apple back into the main room she tried to figure out what she wanted to do today.

* * *

"Open the door." Felix called from the front of the house after pushing the doorbell. "It's hot out here."

"HI." Liz said doing just that and stepping back. "How was the drive down?"

"I swear only in California can a drive that should take one hour end up taking three." He said before kissing both her cheeks. "But I'm now here, in all my fabulousness."

"I have wine and fruit on the deck." Liz said locking up and ushering her guest into the house.

"You know me well." He said grinning. "I do have a business expense account. We can go out to a restaurant." He let her know.

"Any restaurant you pick would be trendy. Which means photographers. Even though they won't know who I am, they will know who you are. I have no desire to be in the paper." Liz said taking a seat. "It would also mean ditching my jeans, which isn't going to happen."

"You do work the whole reclusive artist image well. And if I had your ass I'd live in blue jeans too." Felix said sampling the wine and being outrageous. "Delish." He settled into his chair and let the fact that he wasn't in his office relax him. Liz was the easiest client on his roster. Which always made time with her relaxing. "Did you know according to the latest rumor you are a fifty year old man who lives in a remodeled bomb shelter out in Wyoming?"

"Really." Liz said trying not to laugh. "I kind of like that one." Over the course of her career the internet had spent a lot of time trying to pin down exactly who M.O. Gene was. That was the name she published her highly successful graphic novel series under. It was a play on her middle name. It was just assumed that M.O. was a man, which further ensured her privacy. The fact that the first issues of her series were now coveted collector's items was something she didn't think much on.

After talking with Brenda, Felix got impatient and approached Elizabeth himself. He asked if she'd like to draw for one of his authors. Liz said no, working for someone else wasn't at all interesting to her. Then she showed him some sketches she had done because she was toying with the idea of trying to write a series of short stories. He suggested she try a graphic novel, and a cult sensation was born. Her very first issue hit the stands and sold out all copies within a week. Now she sold out issues in a day. It still amazed her.

"Your publisher agreed to the new deal." Felix let her know. He could have just called to tell her that, but Malibu had a lot of man candy so a visit was a must.

"At some point they are not going to give me all the money you demand." Liz warned her agent.

"As long as you keep selling at the rate you do, they will give me whatever I ask for to keep you." He said grinning. She was one of the best-selling graphic novelist on the planet, and his client. Which meant he was going to get her every dime she was worth. "If you want a pink zebra with green stripes, and an orange tongue believe me when I say they will make that happen. I also got you a bonus, for having the next six issues already completed."

"I have eleven issues completed." Liz reminded her agent. There were in a fireproof box in a fireproof safe in her apartment, backed up by a USB drive which was in her safety deposit box at the bank.

"I know. You never tell all your secrets." Felix grinned. He would drop that bomb in a month or so, and get his client another fat check. "What's for dinner?"

"Carbs." Liz grinned, she knew that was an evil word out here. She ate whatever she wanted.

"Bitch." Felix was in perpetual diet mode.

"Yup." Liz said saluting him with her wine glass. Looking out she watched the moonlight glimmer off the water. Life was good.

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	2. Chapter 2

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

Thank you for the reviews, they are showing up in my personal mailbox, but for some reason are not showing up on FF just yet.

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Chapter 2

The ringing of the phone woke her up. Tomorrow, or today, she corrected looking at the clock she was planning on starting to pack up the house in preparation for heading home later in the week. She had toyed with staying another week, but nope that wasn't going to happen and it was totally Brenda's fault. The model had to put the idea of going home and making the first move with Jason in her head. Now Liz was actually considering it. She wasn't shy with men, but she was far from aggressive. While she hadn't ever asked a guy out before, she was fairly certain that she was capable of doing so.

The phone was still ringing when she came back from her mental trip. It took ten rings before voice mail picked up. The large number was because if she was working the real world didn't always register. Her fans were not the only ones who got sucked into the alternate universe she had created.

With a bracing breath she picked up the receiver. Due to life experience she knew that folks rarely called you at two in the morning with good news. "Hello?" She said sitting up.

"Elizabeth." Jason knew what time it was in California, but he had enough selfishness in him to make this call anyway. After getting the news, there was no one else he wanted to talk with. He also didn't want her to hear about this for the first time on the radio. Just calling her now was making him feel guilty that her vacation had to end this way. She was going to be worried, and maybe a little scared when he was done. Which sucked because she was alone.

"What's wrong?" Liz asked gripping the blankets. The tone of his voice let her know that this call was going to be bad. While others might not pick up on the subtle change in pitch, she did. She knew him that well.

"I'm on my way to pick you up." Jason started there. He was in fact in his personal plane waiting for clearance to take off. "A car will be at your place at six to bring you to the airport. Give the keys to your rental to one of the guys." He had reached out to another family and called in a favor. "The password is dividend." Whenever he sent someone she didn't know to get her they used a password. It was a trick he learned when his sister was younger and he sent guys to get her.

"Okay." Liz nodded even though he couldn't see her. Jason was not in the habit of dictating to her. He generally asked her to do things, the only time that changed was when things got dangerous. Oddly enough she wasn't getting that from his voice.

"Do something for me?" He requested nodding to his pilot who indicated they were ready to go, which meant the call needed to end.

"Anything." She said quietly.

"Don't turn on the radio, television, or go on the internet." Jason requested buckling up.

The question why was on the tip of her tongue, but she didn't ask it. Her trust in him was that strong. "Okay." She said agreeing. "I'll pack and be ready by the time the car arrives." The covers were thrown back and she got out of bed.

"Thank you. I'll see you at the airport." Jason said before ending the call and closing his eyes. It had been a very long night already. One that had started with a call that got him out of bed. He in turn had then made several calls disrupting other people's nights. He also called down to several of his top guys. Just hoping on a plane and leaving Port Charles was not an option. He had businesses, legal and illegal, that needed to be overseen. So Johnny, Francis, and Cody had gathered in the penthouse for a quick briefing.

Now he was on a plane to the west coast, because letting Elizabeth deal with this on her own wasn't going to happen. Not even for the length of one flight because he had no doubt that as soon as she heard the news she would have been headed home. After calling him first. Because she always took care of him when he needed it.

Just like he did his best to take care of her when she needed it. The feelings she brought out in him were getting harder to ignore. The thought of letting someone else into his life, and them possibly ending up dead, was terrifying to him. He did everything he could to keep Robin safe, but she had still ended up in the morgue.

On the heels of that came another thought. One that Johnny had brought up last year during what the Irishman said was a quasi-intervention, and when he did Jason had stomped off in anger. But the seed had been planted.

Robin hated Jason's life. She hated that he was not only in the mob, but the head of a family. When he was just an enforcer she had asked him several times to walk away, he always said no. When he took over that source of tension only got worse. It wouldn't have been surprising if at some point she decided to walk away. Honestly he was bracing himself for it. She hated it so much that she refused to allow him to give her a guard.

Johnny pointed out that Liz never argued when Jason made that request. The guys did their best to not disrupt Liz's life, and she made it easy by listening to instructions but they knew she felt strange having them follow her around. Still she never complained because she got it. She understood that the two main reasons for the security detail were so that she stayed safe and so that Jason could spend energy focused on the problem, not her.

Then Johnny lowered the boom. He asked Jason to consider the fact that at even the slightest hint of trouble Liz got a guard. That was telling. Jason could lie to everyone else, which wasn't technically true. He didn't lie at all due to his injuries. However lying to himself wasn't happening. Liz meant enough that her safety was a priority, so maybe Jason should just admit that he had feelings for her and get it over with.

That was when the stomping off happened. Jason wasn't sure he was ever going to be ready to admit that. Namely because he suspected that the feelings that Johnny was talking about were much stronger than what he felt for Robin. The medical student's death had left Jason hollow, Liz's death would destroy him completely. So he labeled her a risk too big to take, and kept her firmly in the friend column.

And every time she went out on a date he clenched his jaw tight enough to crack a tooth. Her year long relationship with Ewan Keenan had been really hard to take, mostly because he was an arrogant prick. When they broke up and he left the area all the guys had been happy. Now she was single, and so was he. If they wanted to move from friends to more it was a good time for it. Assuming she wanted that too.

First however they needed to deal with today's news. As the plane lifted from the ground Jason closed his eyes and tried to relax. He saw a lot of very long days in the next couple of weeks.

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He got a message on his phone when the guys from the Davidson family picked Elizabeth up, and then he got another message when the group arrived at the airport. She would be waiting in the VIP lounge and the guards would make sure no one bothered her. He was still about an hour out of Los Angeles International airport which was the closest terminal to Malibu. He hadn't even been out to her home on the west coast, but a couple of the guys had. They said it was just like her unit in the building, warm and welcoming.

Last year she had urged him to go out after a particularly stressful time with the business, but he declined. Namely because he wanted to hang out with her. That always made him feel better. She provided him an escape from his life and a place he could be something other than the head of the biggest organization in the state. At the same time she accepted that he did fill that role. That it was another aspect of the man he was, and she never made him feel guilty about that.

Maybe when all this was over he would take her up on that invitation, and maybe if he was really fortunate she would agree to go back west with him. He'd even have dinner with Brenda and the poor man she had trapped in marriage. There was no situation where Jason saw being married to that woman as something someone would voluntarily do.

Unable to sit still he got up and made himself another cup of coffee. He resisted the urge to call home and check in. The guys would be fine, and right now his friends should still be sleeping. None of them were watching the territory tonight, but he suspected that either Francis or Johnny had gone to see Ritchie to alert him of Jason's unexpected travel plans. Not that he was going to be gone long. By dinner he and his passengers would be back in New York. Because after picking up Elizabeth they had one more stop to make.

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When the private jet landed both Renaldo and Milo, who had made this trip with their boss, exited the aircraft. They would stand on the tarmac with the guys from the Davidson family and chat for a bit to give Jason and Liz some privacy to talk.

She waved and gave both guards a quick smile before jogging up the steps. "Hi." He looked tired, which was a first. He seemed to effortlessly handle any issue that came up, but whatever was happening now was weighing on him. That did nothing to stop the case of nerves she had been dealing with since his call. Cleaning the house gave her something to focus on, but since then she had been trying not to worry. "Tell me."

Jason looked at Elizabeth and had to clear his throat. "AJ and Carly were killed in a car accident." His voice was gruff as he gave her the news.

"No." Liz shook her head and didn't want to believe him. "That can't be right. I just talked to her last week. They were making plans to come home for a visit." She said as the tears started.

"I know. He called and asked for a unit in the building that they could stay in during the visit. He said he had something great to share with us." Jason nodded talking about the last time he spoke with his big brother.

Staying at the mansion or the family owned hotel wasn't going to happen. AJ did not get along with anyone but him, Skye, Emily and their grandmother Lila. Their parents blamed their eldest son for the "death" of Jason Quartermaine, while Edward ruined his relationship with AJ over ELQ. AJ was sick of the company being dangled in front of him like an unattainable prize, so he walked away tired of playing that game.

The marriage to Carly, the move out of New York, and then AJ starting his own company were the breaking points for those already strained relationships. Monica thought her daughter in-law was a gold digger, and had urged AJ to rethink the marriage. Nothing could have been further from the truth, if anything Carly had been her husband's biggest supporter. She made him smile, which was enough for Jason. As for Quartermaine International, it had been doing really well, especially their pharmaceutical branch which went head to head against ELQ's division. AJ's company was pulling in more profits and making a name for itself in the market.

Without another word Liz walked over and let Jason hold her tight. She wrapped her arms around him because as much as it hurt for her to lose her friends, he had lost family. For a long moment they stood there offering and giving comfort. "What do you need from me?" She wanted to know.

He gave her a half smile, it was so like her to put his needs first. "Stay close. My parents are making arrangements for the bodies to be flown home." Jason had to clear his throat. "My grandmother is planning the service."

"How are Skye and Emily?" Liz was close with Skye, but didn't know Jason's younger sister that well. Emily didn't live in Port Charles. Not due to family issues, but because of her job. Both she and her husband worked at John Hopkins University Hospital in Maryland. They came home when their schedule allowed, but since Liz didn't spend a lot of time at the mansion she generally only saw Emily when she visited the Towers.

"Skye is in shock, and I talked to Matt during the flight. Em wasn't in any shape to come to the phone. We are stopping to pick her up on the way home. He will come up later." Emily's husband couldn't just drop everything and leave. He had surgery today, and was working on getting his other procedures covered. "I asked her to wait because I didn't want her flying alone."

"Thank you for coming to get me." Liz said as the tears started again. She was still having a hard time believing her friend was gone. Carly was one of the first people she met after moving into the Towers. Their units were on the same floor and they both liked to work out later in the evening. They were different as night and day, but had become close enough that Liz was the maid of honor at the wedding.

"I didn't want you to hear it and be alone." He let her know. She was still in his arms and despite the grief he had to admit that felt good. "Right now this looks like a regular accident." It would be ironic if that were true because AJ had walked away without a scratch from the accident that left Jason in a coma. So you would think the universe wouldn't go there again. "While we look into what happened, I'm going to assign you a guard."

"Alright." Liz felt really tired all of a sudden. "Should we leave now? Your sister is probably anxious to get home."

"Let me check with the pilot." Jason said forcing himself to let her go. In the last few years he had lost Sonny. Then Robin, and now AJ and Carly. Jason didn't want to lose anyone else, especially not the woman standing in the main cabin of the plane. "We are taking off in about thirty minutes. Have you had anything to eat?"

"I'm not hungry." Liz told him. Food had been the last thing on her mind.

"I'm going to ask the steward to go into the terminal and get you a drink." Jason felt this intense urge to take care of Elizabeth. Normally he could just go into the plane's galley kitchen, but this flight had been very much last minute and nothing was stocked but coffee. "He can pick up something for the crew as well. Would you like a hot chocolate?"

"Yes please." Liz said wiping away more tears. A love of chocolate was something else she and Carly had bonded over.

"Have a seat." Jason handed her his handkerchief before he went to find the steward.

* * *

The flight was quiet, they sat side by side with her hand tucked into his. Neither one of them moved until the plane landed in Maryland and Emily came aboard. Matt put down his wife's bag and gave her a hard hug. "I'll be up as soon as I can."

"I know." Emily didn't expect him to drop everything. Tomorrow he was operating on a five year old little girl with a brain tumor. Now more than ever she wanted her husband to share his gifts so that others would have more time with loved ones. "My parents will understand."

Matt still felt guilty that he was sending his wife off alone. "Keep an eye on her?" He requested of Jason who already had his arm around his sister.

"Absolutely." Jason promised his brother in-law. He and Matt got along well, which made Em happy.

"Thanks." Matt kissed his wife and left the plane.

"Buckle up." Jason said taking his sister over to the couch.

Elizabeth got up and moved to one of the captain's chairs. Jason needed to focus on his sister right now.

"Why did you move?" He wanted to know.

"So you guys have more room." Liz said reaching for her seatbelt.

"There's plenty of room over here." Emily responded before her brother could. Grandmother said she thought Jason had feelings for Elizabeth, and she hoped that he spoke up soon. Her grandmother giving them her seal of approval was all Emily needed to offer hers as well. She didn't know Liz well, but hopefully that would change.

"Sit with us." Jason requested holding out his hand. That seat put her too far away.

Liz took his hand. "Emily did you want something to drink?"

"No." The young doctor said wiping away tears. "Thank you."

The three of them sat and waited for the plane to take off for New York. Emily had her head on her brother's shoulder, and Liz's hand was once again tucked firmly into Jason's. They would lean on one another and they would get through this.

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	3. Chapter 3

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

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Chapter 3

As they waited for the plane to roll to a stop Elizabeth looked over at Jason. "I'm going to go back to the Towers. The last thing your parents need tonight is a visitor."

Jason nodded, getting the truth of that statement. The Quartermaines could be an odd bunch. They didn't always react to news the way you would think was normal. In fact Jason was fairly certain that at some point as the family gathered a nasty argument was going to break out. He would put money on the fact that his Aunt Tracy was going to say something she shouldn't. Grandmother mentioned an actual fist fight breaking out between Tracy and Monica the night AJ drove into the tree.

"I kind of wish I could go with you." Emily said bracing herself to go home. She loved her family but her thoughts were running along the same wavelength as her brother's. Both siblings supported AJ when he left saying the environment was toxic, because at various points in their lives they had felt that too.

Plus tonight the mansion was going to feel empty. The more family members that gathered under its roof, the more obvious it would be that AJ and Carly were not going to be joining them. That thought was enough to start the tears flowing again.

"Take care of Emily. I'll wait here until one of the guys can come get me." Jason had a private airstrip and hangar so the area was secure. Elizabeth took the bottle of water the steward was holding out and twisted off the cap. "Have something to drink." She said quietly.

Emily nodded her thanks and took the beverage. "Are you going to be okay alone?" They had lost a sibling, but Emily knew Elizabeth had lost a close friend. She needed care as well.

"I'll be okay." Liz didn't want them worrying about her.

"I'm not staying at the mansion for long." Jason looked over at Elizabeth. "Can I stop by and check on you when I return to the Towers?"

"Sure. I should be up." Liz said squeezing his hand, because he hadn't let hers go yet. She also figured he would ask one of the guys to check on her shortly after she got home. "Thank you again." She had to stop and take a breath. "For coming to get me."

This time he gently squeezed her hand. "Renaldo will take you home. He and Milo are going to be your security detail for now." One regular guard, and one back up.

"Who will be going with you?" Liz knew that Jason didn't go anywhere without a guard. "I'm guessing that Cody isn't waiting for you?" The former solider was not only Jason's regular guard but his enforcer as well.

"No he isn't. At least not outside. Shawn is going to be with me today, so I'll have protection." Jason assured her. He liked that she worried about him.

"Okay, I'll see you later. Call me if you need anything." Liz stood up and so did the guys. Jason gave her another hug before she walked from the plane. She waved to Shawn as she got in the backseat of the large SUV that was waiting for her.

"Do you need to stop anywhere before we take you home?" Renaldo turned around to ask, Milo was behind the wheel. "Johnny sent a message that we can send a runner out if you'd rather."

Liz nodded. "I'll make a list." She didn't have the energy to go to the store. It wasn't a physical exhaustion but an emotional one. Right now all she wanted to do was hide from the world because she felt raw.

They drove through downtown and she looked out the window. While she was gone the trees and bushes had bloomed, along with some flowers. Life was vibrant and colorful everywhere she looked and that just made her want to cry.

The darkness of the garage at the Towers was almost a relief. The elevator ride up to her fourteenth floor unit was done in silence. "Thanks guys." She said as they helped her carry in her luggage. Milo said they could get the bags but she wasn't helpless. "Renaldo should I call you if I decide to go out?" Which probably wouldn't happen.

"Yes. I'll be in my apartment. Do you have my number?" He wanted to know. In the building they had a system where she could press nine and then dial his unit number to reach him. If she was out of the building she would need to call their cell phones. Not that she should be out without one of them with her.

"I'll text it to you, then you can add it to your contacts." Renaldo replied getting out his phone when she said no. Milo wouldn't need to do it because Liz would already have his home number. Renaldo had been given her number when Johnny called to give him this assignment. "I'm sorry for your loss." Renaldo said quietly.

"I'm sorry for your loss as well." Milo told Liz. He liked her, she always treated the guys really well. He hadn't known Carly well, they just didn't cross paths much, but she seemed nice the few times they interacted.

"Thanks guys." Liz gave them a smile as she followed them to the door and locked it. She should unpack, but instead she walked into her studio. It was her habit to turn to her art when life got hard. To pick up her pencils and lose herself in whatever she was creating. During high school her art had literally saved her life a time or two. How fortunate was she that her talent had led her to create an entire new world that she could disappear into? Looking at the blank sheet of paper she closed her eyes and thought about where she had last left the population of that world. When she ready she opened her eyes again, reached for a pencil, and began to create.

* * *

"Is it wrong that I don't want to go in there?" Emily asked looking over at her brother.

"I'm not too thrilled about the idea either." Jason admitted quietly. The last time the family gathered for a funeral it was for Dillon. He had died during the epidemic that hit the town a few years back. It was the first funeral that Jason attended after his personality change. When it was over he didn't come to the mansion for almost a month. Instead of banding together the family had ripped one another apart in their grief. While Tracy's behavior could be explained as a mother's loss, he had no idea why everyone else exhibited such horrible attitudes.

"When was the last time you talked to AJ?" Emily asked looking out the window at the large house they were parked in front of.

"Last week." Jason told his sister.

"I hadn't talked to him in fifty-eight days. That's almost two months." Emily said as guilt began to crush her. "We sent texts back and forth, but we didn't actually talk to one another."

"AJ called me, before that point it had been about a month since we talked. That was about normal for us." Jason told his sister. "We weren't exchanging texts, so you were doing better than I was. We were both busy."

Emily gave her brother a watery laugh. "The entire family knows you hate talking on the phone. That's why we text or email you."

"Aunt Tracy only ever calls me." Jason pointed out while frowning.

"No comment." Emily wasn't going to talk badly about their aunt today. There was probably going to be more than enough negative energy in the house, they didn't need it out here as well.

The siblings lapsed into silence. It was only another car pulling up beside theirs that prompted them to exit the vehicle. "Hi." Emily walked over and gave her big sister a hug.

"Hi." Skye squeezed Emily tight. "I wasn't sure I should come." She admitted giving the house an uncertain look. "He didn't want me to come." She smiled over at her boyfriend.

Cody smiled back before looking at his boss. "I want to support my girlfriend, but I'm not sure I should go in there." He said being honest.

Skye was a last minute addition to the family. In fact she hadn't even known she was a Quartermaine until a few years ago. It took a DNA test to back up her claim. Right up until the results came back Alan had denied sleeping with Skye's mother Rae. After the test showed he was lying all hell pretty much broke loose. Monica had lashed out at her husband for being unfaithful and kicked him out of the house. Alan then tried the boneheaded move of bribing Skye to leave town, thinking if she was gone Monica would forgive him faster.

It was Lila who first welcomed Skye into the family. Even before the test results showed they were linked biologically, the Quartermaine matriarch had opened her heart to Skye. Emily was right behind her grandmother, unfortunately that support came from a distance as she was already out of state. Jason and AJ were introduced to their sister by their grandmother over tea. AJ was his usual charming self, and Jason said maybe three words the entire afternoon. Lila later explained to her newest granddaughter that her younger brother would need a little time to warm up to her, but once he did she would have a protector for life.

That prediction proved to be true. Not even six months after that meeting Jason asked Skye to run Deception for him. He said he trusted that she would do a good job. Which was huge because Jason didn't give his trust easily. She happily accepted the job. She got further proof that he looked at her the same as Emily when she got asked out by Cody. According to her boyfriend, Jason had invited him up to the office and proceeded to launch into an hour long lecture about how his sister needed to be treated.

"You can come in." Jason promised the man he thought of as a brother in-law. "You can both come in, I won't let anyone harass you." He had been the one to put an end to his mother's attitude over Skye. He flat out told Monica to either divorce Alan, or get over her snit. No one was surprised when the two doctors decided to stay together, and Skye was issued an apology from them both. She now did better with Monica than Alan. Skye still was angry about the fact that he lied.

"I loved AJ too, I'm not sure the family will recognize that." Skye had only talked to him handful of times in the last two months, same with Carly. With him living in another country their interactions had been limited to the phone. While he had been welcoming they hadn't really started connecting until shortly before the couple moved. AJ had mentioned wanting a better relationship with all his siblings. She got the impression he was looking for a heightened sense of family. She was going to miss him. "For the first time since the blood test came back I feel like an outsider."

"You aren't." Emily promised her sister. "You are a part of this extremely difficult family, just like we are." She looked over at Jason. "And we need to go into the house. If for no other reason than to check on Grandmother."

That was enough to get them all moving.

* * *

"Hello Reginald." Emily greeted the long-time family butler.

"Emily." He said closing the door behind the quartet. "Lila is in the parlor."

"Where is everyone else?" Jason wanted to know. The house was almost eerie in its silence.

"Your parents are upstairs, Edward is in his office, and no one else has arrived yet." Reginald let them know.

The siblings just looked at one another. "Thank you." Emily replied before they moved off. The fact that the family was all spread out was not a good sign. She was really hoping that a fight had not already broken out.

"Hello darlings." Lila greeted her grandchildren including Cody, who she considered a surrogate grandson. The normal light that shined from within her was dimmed today. Which wasn't surprising.

"Grandmother." Jason was the first over and he placed a kiss on the soft skin of her cheek.

"Hello Grandmother." Emily was next, despite the somber nature of the day she was smiling. Lila could always do that for her.

"Grandmother." Skye also came forward to give the older woman a kiss. No matter what she was always assured of a welcome when in the company of everyone that was in the room with her now. When she was done Cody gave Lila a kiss as well.

"Have a seat." She wanted them comfortable.

The sisters did, but Jason went to the bar and poured everyone some water. Cody helped pass out the glasses before the two men joined the small group. The former solider didn't expect to take part in the coming conversation, he just wanted to be on hand for support.

"Reginald said Alan and Monica are upstairs." Jason started the conversation.

"And that Grandfather is in his office." Emily would go check on him in a minute.

"Monica needed to be sedated, and Alan is simply keeping an eye on her. As for your grandfather." Lila sighed and paused. "I think he is feeling the weight of his actions. He made a lot of mistakes with your brother, and he was part of the reason AJ left New York."

"We always think we have more time." Skye said softly. She had lost a lot of family members which was why she had been happy to learn about the Quartermaines.

"Well said." Lila replied quietly.

"When will everyone else arrive?" Emily wanted to know.

"In the next few days. The funeral service will probably be held next weekend." Lila had spent the morning making arrangements. There were still many things to do, like pick the passages that were to be read at the funeral, but she would need assistance for that. "Jason do you know where Elizabeth is?"

"She went to her apartment from the airplane, so I am assuming she is still there." Jason let his grandmother know. "Did you need to speak with her?"

"It would be helpful. I'd like to honor Carly during the service. I also need a list of who I should invite from her family. She didn't invite anyone to the wedding, but that may have been because they both wanted something small." Lila had liked her granddaughter in-law very much. She was exactly what AJ needed.

"Carly didn't have any family that I know of." Jason liked his sister in-law, but they weren't super close. But he would always be grateful to her for introducing him to Elizabeth. "When I go home, I'll ask her to call you."

"Thank you. I'm waiting for Justus to get in contact. He is on vacation. As the family lawyer he may have information on final wishes, and things of that nature." Lila said before looking out the window at her flowers. They normally brought her peace, but today it wasn't working. "AJ and Carly are going to be interred in the family crypt."

Something in their grandmother's voice had the siblings looking at each other. It was finally Emily who spoke up. "Was there an issue with that?"

"A small one, but it wasn't anything I couldn't handle." Lila told them. The surprise was that Carly hadn't been the issue, it was AJ that Alan wasn't sure should be laid to rest in the family mausoleum. He said AJ had wanted nothing to do with them, so maybe he and his wife should be placed in a joint grave near the rest of the family.

That was enough to make Monica claim that her husband never really warmed to their oldest son. She threw out that Alan had not believed that AJ was really his because of her affair. She had been shaking and an alarming shade of red by the time she told her husband that if AJ was buried away from the rest of the family she would be filing for divorce. That was when Dr. Ford arrived to offer his condolences. He was the one who suggested Monica needed to rest.

"Is there anything we can do to help?" Skye wanted to know.

"I'm sure there will be things as we get closer to the service." Lila let them know. "Emily and Skye I know that I will need help with the hostess duties. Jason, I was wondering if you would handle security." Lila knew that at times like this the press would descend on the family, which was the last thing they needed.

"That won't be a problem." Jason had plenty of guys on his payroll. "Will the service be at St. Timothy's?" The more information they had the easier planning would be.

"Yes. Father Coates is going to officiate." Lila said quietly. She had outlived another of her grandchildren and grief was sitting heavy on her heart.

Jason covered his grandmother's hand with his. He could see the pain in her eyes. "What can we do for you?" She wouldn't ask for anything, not wanting to make this about her. He suspected that Elizabeth was going to do the same thing. They were going to throw themselves into caring for everyone around them. It was just one of many things the two women had in common.

"I would love it if the four of you would stay for tea." Lila wanted to hold her family close.

"That won't be a problem." Emily said smiling and answering for the group. "I'll ask Reginald to have cook put together a service for five. I'm also going to check on Grandfather. Skye would you like to come?"

"Yes." Skye had been trying to get closer to Edward since joining the family. It wasn't working, but she hadn't given up hope that might change. "Behave you three." She said with a small smile before the ladies walked from the room.

* * *

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	4. Chapter 4

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 4

Her hand cramping was why Elizabeth stopped working. Looking over she saw that the sky was a deep purple streaked with red and yellow which meant the sun was setting, so it had to be past seven. She hadn't moved in roughly five hours. "Maybe installing that light sensitive system wasn't such a good idea." She muttered to herself for about the one thousandth time. When she was working she didn't want lack of light to stop her, so she had wired her studio with a smart system. Most of the time she didn't even notice that the sun had gone down.

Looking at the paper on her drafting table she reviewed her work. It was exactly what she wanted it to be. This was darker than the previous issue, but since her work often reflected her emotions that wasn't surprising. In fact she suspect that this story arc, within the larger overall story, was going to be one the darkest she had ever produced. It would normally take almost three weeks to finish a volume but she suspected that wouldn't be the case with this one. She already knew where she wanted to go, and how it was going to end.

Her stomach rumbled and that was a reminder that she needed something to eat. Since she hadn't sent a grocery list to Johnny she was going to have to order in. Going out to get something wasn't happening. First though she needed to get something to drink. Her mouth was like cotton.

It had been forever since she went on a drawing jag this intense. While her work often absorbed her completely she made sure to get up and stretch, to stay hydrated, and to eat while putting together an issue. A tall glass of water made her feel human again, and as she was putting the glass in the sink she noticed her fingers were smudged. A common occurrence for her, she reached for the soap when a wave of grief so strong hit her that she had to grab the counter for support.

In both the bathroom and the kitchen there were small decorative soaps. Each was a different shape, color, and scent. They were part of a package that Carly had sent from England. She had found this wonderful little shop one day while out walking. After getting items for their house, she had ordered some things for Liz. Getting the package in the mail had made her smile not because of the soap, which really was nice, but because her friend had thought of her.

There would be no more phone calls to catch up. No more sending one another funny pictures of cats that they found on the internet. No more baking brownies to send overseas because Carly loved them. No more teasing her friend because she was totally gone over her husband. The visit that was supposed to happen next week wouldn't be happening.

Because her friend was gone.

The other big loss in her life was incredibly painful, but as hard as it was to admit not surprising. When she was told what had happened it hadn't been hard to accept. During the situation that changed her entire family they were aware of the danger. Her parents had done their best to stop it from occurring, but the ending was still tragic.

The news about Carly, she just didn't want to believe.

Liz stumbled from the kitchen into the living room and curled up on the couch as the torrent of tears came. She had lost enough, but the only way to protect herself from this type of pain was to lock herself away. Life was too much of a gift to do that. And with each loss she appreciated those in her life more.

As the tears slowed she rolled over and reached for a tissue. This wouldn't be the only time the tears came. She also knew this pain would fade in time. Not that the loss would ever be easy to accept, there would always be an empty spot in her life. Her friends would always be missed, but in time she would move forward. She just had to get through the funeral, she knew from experience real healing for her didn't begin until that point.

Liz got up and headed into the bathroom, she had planned to put the soaps away but as she was reaching for the pretty flower she stopped. She could see Carly standing in the shop grinning as she carefully picked each piece that went into the fancy box that had been waiting at the manager's desk. Not using them would be wrong, so instead of packing them away Elizabeth washed her hands, and then wiped off her face before heading into the living room.

Back on the couch she picked up the phone, and dialed an international number. The other line rang two times before the phone was answered in heavily accented English. "Hallo, Webber residence."

"Hallo Gretchen, es ist Elizabeth." Liz replied in flawless German, speaking to her parents' housekeeper.

"Einen moment bitte." Gretchen said before putting her boss's daughter on hold.

Not even five minutes later the line was picked up again. "Libby, hi."

"Hi mom." Liz sank into the chair and let the sound of her mom's voice calm her.

"Sweetie, what's wrong?" Carolyn could hear the pain in her daughter's voice.

"It's been a really long day." Liz said skirting the details of why the day was so long. Her mother didn't do well with reminders of death. Especially untimely ones. Her dad was the one that said they had to be careful when talking to her mom. Liz respected him enough to follow those instructions. "I just needed to talk with you."

"Well then I'm glad you called. Your father isn't here, so I get you all to myself." Carolyn said smiling. She was hoping her daughter would share what was bothering her, but knew enough not to push. "How was Brenda's wedding?" They had sent a gift.

"Over the top." Liz said on a watery laugh. "Which is to be expected."

"Even as a little girl she liked to be the center of attention." Carolyn said smiling. Brenda had found the perfect career. "How is Malibu? Your father keeps talking about taking a vacation so that we can come see the house. The pictures you sent us are stunning. I would love to spend some time looking out at the water when I'm not spoiling you."

"You guys can use the house even if I'm not there." Liz had told both her parents this on numerous occasions. She would like to know that they were in the country, and that they were relaxing. She worried that he father was going to work himself into an early grave. If they came to visit then they could see one another more than every couple of years. It was long flight to Germany. During the last conversation with her dad he told her that her mother might be ready to move back to the states full time soon. Liz was hoping that was true.

"The whole point of the visit would be to spend time with you." Carolyn told her daughter. As far as she was concerned there was no other reason to go back to the states. "How are things in Port Charles?"

Liz looked out the window and took in the dark night sky before lying to her mother. "Good. Work is giving me some issues."

"That explains the flatness in your voice." Carolyn thought she had gotten to the root of the issue. "You can be very hard on yourself Libby. The work you are doing is brilliant and we are so proud of you. You're supposed to be on vacation anyway, so put the pencils down and take a break."

"Good advice." Liz closed her eyes and tried to ignore the headache that was starting. "I'll go for a walk. I just wanted to call and say hi."

"Anytime you want to talk we are here for you." Carolyn wanted her daughter to know. "I love you." They always ended phone calls that way.

"I love you too. Give dad a hug for me." Liz requested smiling. The call did make her feel better.

"I will." Carolyn said before hanging up.

Since the phone was in her hand Liz dialed another number. "Hey, it's me. I haven't heard from you in a while so give me a call. I love you." She said before hanging up. Steven was a lot harder to pin down than their parents. The call she placed before leaving for California, and the one she made from Malibu hadn't been returned yet.

Getting up she put the phone back on its base and stood by the end table trying to figure out what to do next. On a normal night she might either work, watch some television, or hang out with friends. Tonight she just wanted to curl up and pretend today didn't happen. The only reason she didn't do that was because in the morning it would be all too clear that today did happen, lying to herself wouldn't help.

"Aspirin, and then I'll work on the grocery list." Liz said to herself. Before she could move there was a knock on the door. Walking over she looked through the peephole before opening the steel panel. "Hi."

"Hi." Jason said as he put his hands in his pockets. "I just got in from the mansion and I wanted to check on you. Johnny sent me a message that you didn't send him a grocery list, and you weren't answering the messages he sent you."

"I didn't even hear the phone." Liz pulled out her cell and sure enough she had missed three text messages and one voicemail. "I was just about to make a list now." Despite not having an appetite she needed to eat.

"Have you eaten?" Jason asked unknowingly echoing her thoughts.

"No." She said a bit sheepishly. She was always asking him that, and now she knew how he felt.

"Come on. We'll go up to the penthouse, I have groceries." Jason paused briefly. "If you like you can stay in the guest bedroom." If she was feeling like him, then not being alone would be nice.

"I'd like that. Let me grab some stuff. Come in." Liz said stepping back so he could enter the apartment.

He took a seat on the couch and all the tension in his body flowed out. He loved spending time with her. Most often they hung out and watched movies. Like him Liz was often awake at odd hours, she blamed her muse. For him the issue was always work. Her space felt warm and inviting. Like what a home should feel like. While you could say it was how she decorated, Jason had come to realize it was Elizabeth herself that made it feel that way. His penthouse felt the same whenever she was over, and it felt empty when she left. "Ready?" He asked when she came back out.

"Yes." Liz followed him out to the hall and locked up. "Thank you for inviting me up. I might be able to get some sleep tonight now." If she stayed home she would more than likely end up working all night. "How are things out at the mansion?"

"Tense." Jason leaned against the back wall of the elevator. This was the private elevator that only stopped in the lobby, on the fourteenth floor and the penthouse level. "My mother had to be sedated before we arrived, and she was still sleeping when I left. My dad came down for dinner and made Skye feel uncomfortable by suggesting she skip the service. He said Monica might feel bad with her there. That statement pissed Cody off and I thought my grandmother was going to kill my father. Edward just ignored everyone but Emily, which made her feel uncomfortable."

"Monica won't mind Skye being there." Liz was positive about that. The two women got along fine for the most part.

"No, but I think Alan will. He is still uncomfortable around Skye." Jason was too tired to deal with family drama right now.

"Family dynamics are not always the easiest to navigate. I think he would do better if he just kept his mouth shut around his daughter." Liz said shrugging. She didn't know either of Jason's parents well, they had not been at all welcoming. It was the same with Edward, but Lila she adored. She wanted to go check on the older woman soon.

They got off the elevator and Jason nodded at Lee who was standing post. "My grandmother would like to speak to you, tomorrow if at all possible." Again he was unaware that he was echoing Elizabeth's thoughts. "She needs help with the service." He finished quietly.

"Carly?" Liz asked also is a quiet tone.

"Yes. Particularly if there is any family that needs to be contacted." Jason said as they stood in the living room.

"She was adopted and her parents died the year before she moved to New York City." Liz explained what she knew. "She hired a private investigator who said that her biological mother lived in Port Charles at one point, which was why she eventually came here but it didn't pan out. Carly never mentioned anyone else. I will call Lila tomorrow and tell her that. I'll also ask if I should go out to the mansion. In case she has other questions."

Jason just nodded. "Put your things away and I'll make you an omelet."

Liz smiled and headed to the steps. She loved his omelets. Even more she loved that he cooked for her often, it was not something he did for everyone. "Jason?" She called out stopping him before he walked into the kitchen.

"Yes?" He asked turning.

"Thank you again, for taking such good care of me today. It means a lot that you would fly all the way to California so I didn't have to fly back alone." She told him. He was dealing with the loss of his brother, but he still took time to make sure she was okay.

Jason actually blushed some. "I need to know you are being taken care of." He confessed a bit of the deep feelings he had for her.

Liz just smiled again before heading up to the spare bedroom.

* * *

Johnny rolled over and looked at the alarm clock. It was seven in the morning, so the fact that he was alone in bed wasn't surprising. His girlfriend would already be at work because her shift started at six. Hopefully she would get off on time so they could have dinner together tonight. Last night that hadn't happened. In fact he had been out until late so she was already asleep when he got home.

Reaching over he grabbed his phone and scrolling through his messages frowned. He still didn't have text, or an email, from Liz. Which meant she was holed up in her place without any food. She could have ordered in, but he was betting she hadn't. If he had to guess he would say that she had spent the night working.

Getting out of bed he headed to the bathroom. After a shower he shaved and brushed his teeth. In the kitchen he grinned at the post it note that was on the coffeemaker. A heart surrounding a pair of lips. His girlfriend had left him a kiss, and it was in his favorite shade of lipstick that she owned. Something about that pale shimmery color on her lips just drove him to the brink of insanity.

Before he got coffee he wanted to check on Liz. That right there would let anyone know that she meant a lot to him. Johnny didn't put many people before his morning cup of coffee. She was like a sister to him though, and he was worried about her.

Down the hall at the door of her unit he rang the bell. Despite the early hour she would be up. Liz didn't generally sleep much. She was a lot like Jason that way. When Johnny didn't get an answer he called her home phone, and then her cell phone. This was the same thing he had done several times last night. She didn't pick up either line, and that made him frown harder. He had no problem envisioning her waking up and going right back to her drafting table.

He could pick the lock, but would rather not. So that meant making a trip up to the penthouse because Jason had an emergency key. That was fine though, Johnny wanted to check on his friend as well. He had two sisters and a brother scattered across the globe and yesterday he had called to check on all three of them.

Losing a sibling was not even something he wanted to contemplate. Johnny had even taken the extra step of using his great-grandmother's maiden name to offer his immediate family protection. He didn't want anyone with revenge on their minds going that route. To those outside this life that might seem a bit paranoid, but he didn't care. You did what was necessary to keep those you loved safe. That was why his girlfriend had a guard, even though she'd rather not. As the number three guy in the most powerful mob family in the country he had his fair share of enemies.

So the morning cup of Joe had to wait a little longer, but not much. Jason would be up. More importantly he would have coffee brewed. If Johnny checked in on his friend, and boss, now then Francis could take the evening check in.

* * *

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	5. Chapter 5

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 5

Johnny nodded at Greg who was taking the morning shift. When the guard opened the door Johnny knew that his friend was up and accepting visitors. Normally he would knock because just walking into someone's private space was rude. "Jason?"

"In the kitchen." The blonde mob boss called back.

Johnny walked in to see Jason pouring a mug of coffee. Before he could even request one for himself the black ceramic cup was being held out. With a grin he took the hot beverage and headed to the refrigerator. While full cupboards wasn't something Jason was known for, Johnny knew his friend would have vanilla creamer in the icebox. Liz liked it in her hot chocolate. "How are you this morning?"

"Tired." Jason crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the large sink. This was the room in the penthouse that was the least like him. Sonny had decked out this kitchen with everything a chef would want when he moved in. After Jason took possession of the space, he asked Elizabeth to help him do a remodel, but to leave the kitchen alone since it really was a well laid out room.

Johnny nodded. Since they had been through something similar to this when Sonny died the guys knew how Jason processed grief. To the outside world there wouldn't be much change in his behavior. His friends however would know that he was hurting. This time his emotions would be more intense then when their former boss was killed. Jason hadn't liked Sonny towards the end. "Have you heard from Liz? I was expecting to get a grocery list from her by now, but I haven't. I called, and got no response. So I was wondering if you would go check on her."

"Elizabeth is fine." Jason was expecting her downstairs shortly. He would make her a hot chocolate and talk about breakfast then.

"You saw her? After the flight?" Johnny asked relaxing some. No one was surprised that Jason went to go get her instead of just sending the plane. His friend was fighting an attraction, and losing although he was too stubborn to admit that. Johnny was hoping that something good came from this tragic situation. He was hoping that Jason realized life was too short and got his ass in gear.

Before Jason could answer the woman in question walked into the kitchen. "Morning." He said with a small smile.

"Morning." Liz said covering her mouth as she yawned. "Johnny."

"Liz." The Irishman looked between the other two people in the room. She was standing in the doorway with wet hair, which meant a recent shower. The door didn't open and close so she had to have come from upstairs. "How are you?" He wasn't going to draw any conclusions because the penthouse had five bedrooms.

"Good." She walked over and sat on one of the stools. Jason was already making her something to drink. "I slept a lot better up here, it was nice to know Jason was down the hall." She dimmed a little remembering that she had shopped for the furnishings in the penthouse with Carly.

Johnny just nodded sensing the shift in the petite artist's mood. He also got the answer to his question. She had stayed in one of the guest bedrooms. Not that he would judge either of his friends if she hadn't.

"Thanks." Liz gave Jason a smile as she took the mug he handed over. The panda on it smiled up at her. She burst out laughing the first time she saw it, and had gotten a little warm too. Mainly because Jason had gone out and purchased it for her to keep at his place. Saying his black mugs didn't have enough personality for her. She liked knowing he was thinking of her. "I'll take this out onto the terrace so you guys can talk."

"Actually I came to see you." Johnny would get what he needed and scram. It was clear they were helping each other through this tough time, so he wasn't needed.

"What's up?" Liz was surprised to hear that.

"Grocery list." Johnny grinned at her. "I know enough to put hot chocolate, vanilla creamer, and milk on the list. I need some help with the actual food part." His friend wasn't much of a cook, and he didn't want to buy something she didn't know how to use.

"Sorry. I should have sent that yesterday." Liz got that she had worried him. He and Francis were running things at the moment, worrying about her skipping meals shouldn't even be on their radar. Although she was grateful to have folks around her who did care. It made the fact that her biological family wasn't close by easier to bear. "I don't need much." Pasta and chicken were really the only things she could make without it turning into a disaster. She had about a million recipes for them both. Getting out her phone she typed up a quick memo and sent it to his email.

Johnny looked at the list and tried not to wince. He enjoyed cooking and was really good at it. So was Gia and they often made meals together. The sheer number of jars on Liz's list made him want to break out in hives. "You know spaghetti sauce is really easy to make from scratch. I could show you a crockpot recipe that will give you enough to freeze for about a month of meals. It's actually less expensive too." Not that money was a worry for her. Like most of the top guys in the organization he knew what Liz did for a living. In fact he was a huge a fan of the series, but he never tried to take advantage of that fact. The mint edition volume one issue one copy of the series that he owned had been paid for, at full value.

"We both know I would burn the building down if I had to remember I was cooking something for eight hours." Liz said shaking her head.

"Crockpots have timers now." Johnny let her know.

"I'll store that information away." Liz said looking at her call log. "Your grandmother left me a message." She looked at Jason. "I'll go into the living room and call her back."

Jason just nodded knowing what the message would be about. The fact that Lila was planning the service made him feel better. She loved both AJ and Carly. "Is everything quiet?"

"Everything is fine." Johnny assured his friend as he switched in to work mode. "Folks don't like to piss you off, that goes for Francis too."

Jason nodded figuring his second in command would be stopping by at some point today. Not so much to give a report on how things were going, but to check on him and Elizabeth. "Who is looking into AJ's accident?" Jason hadn't made a single decision after he had gotten the phone call from the mansion.

"I sent Marco and Ritchie over to look around. I don't expect to hear from them until the police are done the investigation." Johnny passed along. "Given your family's connections in England, this case is getting a lot of Scotland Yard's attention. The guys were able to pass along that neither AJ nor Carly reported any recent threats."

"We can say the same thing." Jason replied quietly. Just before AJ left Jason made sure his brother knew that if he needed anything all he had to do was call. He also offered AJ guards which the eldest Quartermaine child declined. The Collins family controlled a good portion of London and the head of that organization owed Jason a favor. One call had netted a promise to handle any problems that might arise. AJ also had a number to call if he needed anything. So the odds were good whatever happened was not because of Jason.

"Could this be because of AJ's company?" Johnny wanted to know.

"I have no idea. Call the guys and ask them to make some inquiries." Jason was actually a minority partner in the business, he just didn't really pay too much attention to it. AJ needed some start-up funds and Jason was happy to invest in his brother's new life. The Abrahams brothers watched to make sure things were going well.

Like their grandfather AJ had a brilliant business mind. So it wasn't surprising that within the first year Quartermaine International was turning a profit and generating buzz. He bought companies that were in financial distress, but only ones who were looking to sell. AJ had no desire to be a corporate raider like Edward. The businesses were either broken down and sold, or restructured and folded into the bigger conglomeration. "Discreetly look into Edward's movements."

"You think your grandfather would kill his own flesh and blood?" Johnny asked surprised.

"Edward was pissed when AJ walked away from ELQ. I thought the old man was going to stroke out when he realized my brother was starting his own company. One that would be in competition with his. Edward said that he would have expected this from me, since we don't get along, but he never expected AJ to turn on the family." Jason thought Edward had it coming. For years he had used ELQ to keep AJ in line, and it ended up backfiring in a major way. The last time AJ and Carly came to visit, grandfather and grandson didn't even speak to one another.

"Should we look at Ned too?" Johnny wanted to know. He really did not understand most of Jason's family.

"No." Jason shook his head as he answered. "He wouldn't be involved in a plot to hurt AJ. While it's true they didn't get along for a lot of years because of what our grandfather was doing, Ned wouldn't hurt AJ out of respect for Lila. Plus they were in a good place now." Of that Jason had no doubt. "But you will check anyway."

"I will." Johnny saw no reason to hide that fact. It was often the people closest to you that did the most damage. Sonny was proof of that. "Do you need anything from the store?" Johnny was finished his coffee.

"No. I just went shopping a couple of days ago." Jason told his friend.

"If you are going to be feeding Liz those groceries will run out faster. Just give a holler if you need anything." Johnny was guessing that Liz was going to be in the penthouse whenever she wasn't working. "Who do you want with Liz?"

"Renaldo should stay." Jason had been giving this some thought for a while now.

"I'll let Cody know and he can pass the order on." Johnny replied putting his mug in the sink. He could call the guard, but things were done in a certain order. The chain of command was in place so that information got to the proper people all the time. "Do you have instructions for Renaldo?"

Jason shook his head. "No. He knows what to do, that's why I picked him. Tell him to call me before contacting Elizabeth directly. I told her she was getting protection, but I just want to check that she is okay with my choice."

"Liz likes Renaldo, so I doubt she will request someone else." Johnny thought Jason had done a really good job with his pick. Both Liz and Renaldo were smartasses who liked to chat. They would be a good fit. "Call if you need anything, and when you have details on the service." The top guys would go to as a show of support for Jason. Everyone else would not as a show of respect for the family.

"Will do. Lila said next weekend, so I'm guessing the remains will come next week at some point." Jason knew the British police would do their best to move things along in that area.

Johnny just nodded. He walked out of the kitchen with Jason following just as Liz came in from the terrace. "See you later short stack."

"Bye Johnny. If I don't see you later tell Gia hello for me." Liz liked her friend's girlfriend. The only reason they didn't hang out more was because they both worked a lot.

Johnny nodded before walking out of the penthouse.

Jason looked over at Elizabeth and smiled. She was in head to toe blue. He loved her in that color. Normally she wore graphic tee shirts with sayings on them but today she was in jeans, with a vivid blue short sleeved top. She had on red sneakers and in her ears were red rose earrings. She had a lot of different sets of earrings, so he never knew what she might be wearing. None of them were expensive, despite the many zeros attached to her bank account Elizabeth was really easy going where fashion was concerned.

"Your grandmother has asked me to come to the mansion today." Liz let him know. "I'm going later this afternoon for tea. She requested I bring over some pictures of Carly."

"Are you going to be okay doing that? My grandmother will understand if you'd like to wait." Jason could see Elizabeth was fighting off tears. She was dealing with a loss as well, and the family needed to respect that. While her grief for Carly would hurt more, Elizabeth was good friends with AJ too. In fact his brother had mentioned on more than one occasion that her support of his relationship with Carly made it so the blonde woman didn't feel like everyone was against them.

"I'd rather do it now, then have to do it next week." Liz said before clearing her throat. "I'll go through the pictures, and then I'll put them away for a while. That probably sounds cold, but I'll need the distance. I have countless reminders of Carly around my apartment. Of AJ too, but pictures hurt the worst." She was trying to make him understand what she was feeling. She'd walked this path before and knew what she had to do to heal.

"I have to admit to being glad I can't see photographs right now." He quietly admitted. "I remember Anna saying something similar to what you just said. She told me pictures can be addictive when you suffer a loss. You will find yourself pouring over them for hours, wishing you had more."

Liz nodded. "You can find yourself living a past life, instead of eventually moving on." The empty space in your life was never filled, but it was unhealthy to never move past the grief. At some point you had to pick up the pieces of your life and figure out how they now fit together.

Those words struck Jason, mainly because for the past couple of years that was what he had been doing. He'd shut a part of himself down after Robin's death. Not because she was the love of his life. He had cared deeply for her, but they had both been starting to realize that the relationship was in trouble just before she was killed. They simply wanted different things out of life. He was positive that they would have parted friends. Which was one of the reasons what happened hurt so bad.

What had kept Jason from moving forward in his personal life was guilt. Robin's future was taken from her in a moment, and he couldn't rule out that it wasn't his fault. So closure hadn't ever really taken place. Looking at Elizabeth, he knew that it needed to. Because losing AJ jolted him out of the protective cocoon he'd been in. Jason realized as he was making the call for the plane that he was possibly missing out on something amazing with the petite artist. It wasn't guaranteed that they could have something more between them, but he didn't want to go to his grave with the regret of never having found out.

He thought long and hard last night about what to do. Today wasn't the day to ask her out. He wanted it to be clear that this wasn't some desperate attempt to prove he was still alive. He wanted Elizabeth to know that he was asking her out because she had found a place in his heart. He would find the right time for them to talk. "Will you call me before you go out to the mansion? I'd like to come along."

"I'd like that. Will Emily and Skye be there as well?" Elizabeth liked Jason's older sister. She and Skye often had lunch together. The redhead had been surprised when Liz called that first time and suggested they get together. It had been after Jason mentioned that his sister was unsure of her place in the family. As for Emily, Liz was hoping to learn more about her as they planned the services.

"Possibly just Emily. Skye will be invited, but I'm not sure she will come. She isn't really sure what her role in all the preparations is." Jason was simply going to do what his grandmother told him to. With her in charge it was sure to be a beautiful service.

"I'll try to call Skye at some point this week if she doesn't come out. Just to check on her." Liz said wrapping her arms around herself. It was already shaping up to be a long day and she'd been up less than an hour.

"Come here." Jason held out his arm and when she snuggled close his whole body relaxed. "We will get through this together." He promised her.

"Yeah, we will." Liz said closing her eyes and just enjoying being held by him. What Brenda said about making the first move was pinging around in Elizabeth's head. Jason probably wouldn't be surprised if she asked him out. She was guessing he knew of her interest. Life was too short to live with regrets, and she didn't want his name in that column. "I'm going to go downstairs and do some work." She said forcing herself to step back. "I also need to be there to get my groceries. Are you going into the office?"

"No. There isn't any point. I'm not going to get anything done." Jason admitted as he let her go.

"Would you like to come hang out downstairs?" Liz wanted to know. "I'm going to be in my studio, but you can watch television." She had this pressing need to create, however like last night it would be wonderful knowing he was close.

He just grinned. This wouldn't be the first time he just hung out while she worked. He didn't mind that she had something so important in her life. The fact that her whole world didn't revolve around whoever she was dating was one of the things he found attractive. He'd been there and done that with a past girlfriend, and it didn't end well. "I would like that." He would make them lunch when she was ready to take a break.

"Good." Liz grabbed her overnight bag from the couch and they headed out to the elevator. Once downstairs she would put together a slide show from the pictures she had of Carly. Making sure to include all the ones with AJ. Then she would go to her drafting table and pour out her grief on the paper.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	6. Chapter 6

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 6

"I'll put the coffee by the machine." Liz told Jason before heading into the kitchen. The beans were from his place. Normally she had coffee in the pantry, because everyone else drank it. Her assistant drinking it when she was over ensured that it didn't just sit in the pantry and go stale. The fact that she didn't have any milk wouldn't be an issue because Jason drank his coffee black with sugar. So she got the canister of the sweetener out.

"I'll be fine." He promised her, but he didn't rush her to leave either. He got that she wasn't ready just yet to go through the pictures. Jason also knew that Elizabeth wasn't going to postpone the chore for long. She didn't put things off, tackling hard things head on was more her style.

"Okay." Liz gave him a small smile before heading down the hall to her office. Having three bedrooms meant that she could spread her work spaces out. Her computer and desk had originally been set up in the studio, but because the office was shared space she had to change that. It was distracting to have anyone in the studio while she was working, and Georgie needed to make phone calls frequently. It wasn't fair to be annoyed at her assistant for doing the job she was hired to perform. They moved down here and with more space Georgie got her own work station.

Turning on the computer Liz pulled up the Pictures file. She was extremely organized in her professional life. Pencils were grouped by color, erasers were all stored in one place, and paper had a special shelf. Nothing was ever out of place. Those habits bled over into her personal life so all her pictures were organized as well. Not only did she have a master folder for each year, but she had additional folders grouped either by location or the people in the stills. So finding photos of Carly required just one click.

The easiest thing to do would be to just download all the images to a USB drive and hand that over to Lila. That would mean Jason's grandmother had to look through hundreds of images, something she most likely didn't have time to do right now. Also there were some images that Carly was not a fan of, and thinking on that made Liz smile some. She was a fan of candid photos, of capturing her friends enjoying the moment. Which meant, funny faces or awkward positions happed frequently in the shots. For the slideshow Liz wanted her friend to look her best, not that Carly was vain. It was just these were images the mourners would remember. So they needed to be good ones.

Pulling out her phone Liz set the timer for one hour. If she didn't give herself a limit up front she would be here all day. Like she had said to Jason that wasn't healthy. She would give herself time to go through the photos and give into the memories they stirred up later. Right now she had a job to focus on, finding the best pictures to tell the story of Carly's life. The last Nurses' Ball before the move to London would be a good place to start. Carly had looked incredible, glowing with newlywed happiness. Liz could go backwards from there.

* * *

Johnny looked up at the knock on his door. "What's up?"

"I wanted to know if you had a chance to check on Liz this morning. I called but didn't get a response." Francis asked coming into the office. Out the window he could see one of their freighters docking. This one would be filled with just coffee, they rarely docked any other type of cargo at this warehouse.

"I did. She stayed in Jason's spare bedroom last night, so she is being taken care of." Johnny passed along.

"They are taking care of each other, which isn't surprising. They always seem to do that." Francis said taking a seat.

"That they do. He wants Renaldo with Liz. I was going to tell Cody and let him send out the information but I forgot he is taking some time off." Johnny leaned back in his chair.

"I told Cody not to come back until after the funeral. Max is keeping a look out." As the head of the guards the big Italian was also the backup enforcer. He would keep the area quiet. "Do you want me to call Max and let him know what Jason said?"

"I already did." Johnny didn't want to add to Francis's to do list. He had enough to keep him busy. The man has six meetings this week alone. Normally he split them with Jason, their boss didn't necessarily like talking with people but got that it was part of being the boss. "He should be here shortly, Liz is going out later so Renaldo will be starting today."

"Where is she going?" Francis was happy to hear of the outing. That meant Liz wouldn't be holed up in her place.

"The mansion." Johnny said with a grin.

"Wow, throw him in the deep end." Francis just chuckled. Both Alan, and Edward hated having the guys in the house. Monica wasn't too thrilled either, but had learned to keep her complaints to herself. Lila was the one who made sure the guys were not disrespected when they were at the estate. "I imagine with all the relatives in town there have been a fair number of arguments." The Quartermaines did not embody peaceful coexistence.

"You are probably correct. Have the other families started calling?" Johnny wanted to know.

"Yup, I have been letting people know they do not need to send representatives. Some of Jason's friends will still come to show their respect. I have been assured they will not mingle with the family." No one wanted this day to be harder than necessary. Manny and John will both be in attendance. With small security teams."

Johnny just nodded. They were both close friends of Jason's so them coming was not a surprise.

"Max has been asked to stand in as his father's proxy." Francis said getting up to get some coffee. His days were longer at the moment, but not that much busier. Jason kept everything running smoothly and his absence wasn't going to stress everyone else out.

Johnny nodded again. This was not something Maximus would leave Palermo for.

"What I need to find out, and I have to call Liz for this, is if Brenda will show up." Francis really hoped not.

"She didn't like Carly." Johnny hoped the model was not going to insert herself into this situation. She had a hard time not making things about her.

"No, but Brenda is fiercely loyal to Liz. It's her only redeeming quality." Francis explained why he was worried about her putting in an appearance. "She will want to make sure Liz is doing okay."

"Hopefully a phone call will cover it." Johnny said straightening his tie. Looking up he saw Renaldo getting ready to knock. "Take a seat." He tilted his head at the empty chair next to Francis. This wasn't a formal meeting so they would stay here.

"You needed to see me?" Renaldo asked after sitting.

"Jason has named you as Elizabeth's guard." Johnny got right to the point. "She is going out to the mansion later this afternoon, so you'll be starting today. Jason wants you to call him before heading over."

"Where is Liz now?" Renaldo was expecting to hear the Towers.

"When I left she was at the penthouse." Johnny passed along. "I doubt she will go anywhere else other than her apartment until it's time to leave to go see Lila."

"Now that I'm her guard, can I ask a question?" Renaldo looked between his bosses. Though they were higher in the company structure they weren't formal in how they dealt with everyone.

"Shoot." Johnny rocked back in his chair.

"What is up with her and Jason? He flew to California to get her, but I haven't heard that they are together. I know he likes to keep his private life private but if she's his girlfriend I should probably know that." Not that it would change how Renaldo did his job. He was going to keep Liz safe, it was just that the more information he had the better.

"They aren't dating." Francis told the younger guard. The "yet" was left unsaid but it was certainly dangling out there. He was expecting this situation was going to change things between the two of them. It just remained to be seen how quickly that happened. Francis was expecting that Jason was still going to drag his feet some, hopefully Liz would be done putting up with that.

"O-kay." Renaldo said stringing out the syllables.

Johnny just laughed. "If they need to update their Facebook statuses I will be sure to let you know."

"Good because I'm not on either one of their friends list." Renaldo kept the joke going. Neither Jason nor Liz did social media. In fact none of the guys in the organization did Facebook, some did Twitter though. No one posted pictures online, because you never knew who was looking at them. "I'll go call Jason."

"Congrats." Francis saluted his friend with the mug. Even though they weren't making a fuss, this was a big deal. The new position was a promotion for the senior guard, complete with pay raise. "Okay I have loitered enough. I have a meeting in fifteen minutes. Behave."

"Normally I wouldn't, but with everything that is going on I will. Mostly because you'll shoot me." Johnny said cracking a joke.

"I won't even hesitate." Francis said grinning wide. "It would let the other guys know I'm not tolerating any shit." Not that the warning was needed. Jason kept things tight.

"Get out." Johnny said laughing. He had contracts to review.

* * *

An hour after starting her review of the photos Liz walked out of her office and down the hall into Jason's arms. There were tears pouring down her face. She had managed to hold them off until she hit save and transferred the images to the flash drive. Carly would have loved the pictures that were picked out. In each one she looked absolutely amazing. Her megawatt smile was on display throughout the slide show. A fair number of the images also had AJ in them, sharing their life as a couple.

Jason didn't say anything he just held Elizabeth close and rubbed her back. Telling her not to cry wouldn't be happening. Nor would any words filled with false comfort. This entire situation sucked, and it hurt more than he had words to say. So if she wanted to cry, then that was what she was going to be allowed to do.

"Thank you." Liz said looking up at her him. Heels would make their height difference less obvious, but she didn't wear them unless she was going out. What she did notice was how well she fit against him. Her head naturally fell into the space where his neck and shoulder met. Almost like the spot was made just for her.

"You're welcome. Would you like some aspirin or something to drink?" Jason asked gently wiping away her tears. He hadn't cried much, it was just how he was but he knew that if he did Elizabeth would be right there arms open ready to comfort him.

"No. I'm good." Liz let him know. "What have you been doing?" She wanted to talk about something else.

"I put away the groceries that came, and I've been out on the balcony." Her unit overlooked the harbor and all that blue was calming. "I also talked to Renaldo."

"Do you need to leave?" Liz hoped not because she was worried about Jason. He was hurting too, something he wasn't hiding from her. She just wanted to make sure he was being supported.

"No. Sit with me." He said pointing to the balcony. The fresh air would do her good.

"Let me get a face wipe first." Liz went to the bathroom and cleaned up before coming back. The sat in silence for a moment before Jason started talking.

"Renaldo is going to be your permanent guard." Jason started there. Johnny mentioned that he was looking into who would act as the back-up guard and would have someone picked by the end of the day. "I just wanted to make sure you were going to be okay with that."

"I like Renaldo." Liz wasn't going to argue. "You said permanent." Normally the guys were appointed until whatever the issue Jason was facing was over.

"He's not going to be reassigned, unless you don't get along." Jason realized this was the beginning of the changes he was hoping to set in motion. The other families were going to see that he had given her a highly respected guard and take note of it. If anyone tried anything they would regret it.

"Okay." Liz had about a million questions the first on the list being what exactly this meant, but she swallowed them. "Are you worried that someone went after your brother and Carly because of you?" This she would ask.

"Only a little. I'm pretty sure this wasn't because of me. AJ would have called if he was having problems with someone I am associated with. In fact at the moment there is no indication that this was anything other than a random accident." Jason looked her in the eye. "I don't think you are in any danger, but I'm not willing to take any chances either."

"I won't give Renaldo any grief." She promised.

"I know." Jason said with a half grin. "Renaldo is going to be thrilled he isn't getting assigned to Emily."

"I'm sure she is well behaved now." Liz had heard stories about how Emily was an expert at ditching her guards. She shook them all until Jason assigned Cody to her. That was when the streak ended.

"Seeing as we are talking about Em, I'm not so sure. She and my grandmother can really get up to mischief if they try." Jason said looking out at the water again. "I think Lila was missing having a partner in crime and then Skye showed up." Although Hank said Skye was extremely easy to protect. Like Liz she didn't give the guys grief.

"Will you have Renaldo come hang out when I work, or will it be like the other times I've been given protection?" Liz wanted to know. What she meant was that she called when she needed to go out and whoever was assigned to her met her in the lobby.

"The two of you can work that out." Jason let her know. "He's your guard so it's important the two of you establish your own working relationship. The only thing I will ask is that you don't go out of the building without protection." He finished up.

"I can do that." Liz said nodding. "I promise." She gave him the words.

"Thank you." Jason felt a huge sense of relief. "Can I talk you into eating something? I sent for croissants." They had both skipped breakfast, although he normally didn't eat it.

"I never pass up pastry and butter." Liz said laughing some, it felt good to do so. Croissants were one food she preferred not to have in chocolate form. She also knew that Jason would have sent one of the runners to the shop across town because that was the one she really liked.

"They just arrived. That was why I was in the living room when you came out, so they are probably still warm." Jason said standing up. "Stay here and I'll bring everything out so we can enjoy the view." Taking care of her just made him feel really good.

He spent most of his time with Sonny as an enforcer and that meant taking care of everyone. By the time they became partners Jason didn't really want to take care of anyone but himself, which played a part in the whole Sonny sleeping with his girlfriend mess. While Jason could admit that he should have been more attentive, if she was that unhappy she should have just left. As for Sonny he should have respected Jason enough to keep his pants zipped.

"I can help." Liz let him know.

"I know." Jason said putting his hands in his pockets. "I won't be long. Enjoy your break before you head into the studio." He wouldn't see her for a few hours once that happened.

"I need to contact Georgie, I can do that while you get breakfast." Liz just wanted to let her assistant know she was back. And that she didn't need to cut her vacation time short. Georgie worked hard, she talked to people so that Liz didn't have to. It was amazing how many people had to regularly be contacted. Georgie had earned herself some time off.

"I'll be right back." Jason said heading into the apartment to put together a tray for them.

* * *

Not even fifteen minutes later Jason was back. "Did you reach Georgie?"

"Yeah, I also left another message for my brother." Liz said looking at the offerings.

"Are you worried about Steven?" Jason could send someone to look for him.

"I'm always worried about Steven, but not overly so. We've gone longer than this without talking. And things were going great the last time we caught up. I'm hoping that is still how things are." Liz was proud of how Steven had turned his life around. "This looks amazing."

"I had them send preserves." Jason knew she liked them.

"Yum." Liz reached over and they started their meal.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	7. Chapter 7

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 7

Jason opened the door and invited Renaldo in. "We are going to be leaving shortly."

"How is Liz?" Renaldo wanted to know. The last time he saw her she was barely holding it together. Just looking at Jason he could see how his boss was doing.

Jason just shrugged. "She is hurting, but she is already starting to work through it." He knew this was not the first time she had lost someone close to her, having been through this before Elizabeth knew that fighting her feelings was pointless.

"Okay." Renaldo nodded understanding that grief was something you had to move through. Everyone handled it differently. He didn't think Liz was going to start acting out, but he would keep watch just in case. "How long are you expecting to be at the mansion, and is anyone else coming with us?" Cody was normally Jason's guard, since the enforcer was off Renaldo was expecting Max to show up.

"Max should be here in a few minutes. We will leave when Elizabeth is ready." Jason passed along. "One of you will be driving." He hated to be a passenger in cars, but he wasn't sure what shape he would be in when they wrapped up their visit with Lila.

"We will work that out." Renaldo responded turning to face the door when someone knocked. "I got it." He looked through the peephole. "It's Ms. Jones." When Jason nodded the guard opened the door.

"Hi." Georgie gave both men a smile. "I just wanted to check on Liz." Milo had told her why he had to suddenly go out of town. Even if he hadn't the story was on the front page of the paper. By this time tomorrow it would be in the national news.

"She's in her studio." Jason wasn't surprised to see Milo's girlfriend. Not only did she work for Elizabeth, but they were also good friends.

Georgie looked down the hall and frowned. "Don't let her do too much of that." She said looking back at Jason. Liz was stronger than most people thought. She was tiny and folks took that to mean she was weak, or easily handled. Nothing could be further from the truth.

However when life hurt her, Liz retreated to lick her wounds. That was perfectly normal, but sometimes it took work to get her out of that cave. When Ewan turned out to be a controlling jerk and they broke up Liz didn't go out for a week as she worked through her emotions. Georgie hadn't seen anything knock her friend down for long, but this loss was much greater.

"We are taking care of each other." Jason promised Georgie.

"Good enough. Since Renaldo is here I'm guessing you guys are headed out, so I'll keep this brief." Georgie didn't know if the guard was here for Liz or Jason, and really it wasn't her business. Dating Milo had made it so that Georgie knew that waiting for information was the way to go. The guys weren't as close lipped as people would imagine. Anything she needed to know Milo made sure she did. What she didn't Georgie kept her nose out of.

With that she went down the hall and standing in the doorway to the studio grinned at her friend. Liz was done for now. That much was clear because she was straightening up. When the pencils were back in the mugs she stored them in, then it was more than just a quick break to keep the blood flowing. "Hi."

"Hi." Liz turned and smiled at her assistant. "I'm okay."

"Good to know." Georgie said coming inside the room. She was one of the few people who got to see Liz's work when it was in progress, or just completed. Sometimes she even helped color the panels for the special editions, most of the time the graphic novel was printed in black and white. The trust she was extended was not something Georgie ever abused. "How's it going?"

"Quickly." Liz said looking down at the large paper she had filled with the images in her mind. It was one of three she had completed for this edition. Considering she had put in less than two days of work that was an incredible, and more than a little unhealthy, output. Altogether there would be between twenty-two and twenty-fives pages when she was done.

"Are you happy with it?" Georgie wanted to know.

"Yeah. It's dark." Liz said knowing her friend wouldn't be surprised. "But it's good." That was a statement she rarely said about her own work. Generally when she looked at it all she saw was how she could have made things better.

"Did you need anything from me?" Georgie took a good look at Liz. Her friend looked tired. "You aren't skipping meals are you?"

"No." Liz promised. "Jason is making sure I don't. Taking care of me is making this easier for him."

Georgie thought that the same thing could be said of Liz. She would be making sure that Jason was holding up okay. "I'm just hanging out around the apartment this week, so if you need anything give a holler. Even if you just want to hang out. I'm also willing to cut my vacation short, even though you said I didn't need to. In fact since you are working I'd rather cut my vacation short, so I can be on hand if you need anything." She finished up.

"Is that your way of saying you'll be here tomorrow?" Liz grabbed a wipe to clean her hands.

"Yes, it is." Georgie smiled wide.

"Thank you." Liz felt very cared for, she also understood that arguing would be pointless. "I may be taking trips out to the mansion this week to visit with Lila, she's planning the service. That's where I'm heading now. So you will probably be putting in half days until the funeral is held." After that Liz would go back to her regular working schedule.

"Understood." Georgie was happy to know Mrs. Q was overseeing things. Carly would be treated fairly, which would keep Liz from going off on someone. One of the things Georgie liked the most about her boss was that she didn't hesitate to defend those important to her.

"Renaldo will be around a lot more." Liz let Georgie know.

"So there will be more coffee in the pantry?" Georgie asked laughing. "I'll see if he wants any special creamers or snacks." A guard was not something she had to deal with. Milo wasn't high enough up in the organization for that to be the case. He was a junior guard at the moment. Just recently she suspected that might soon change because Milo had been undergoing some additional training, she just didn't know what for.

"I think Renaldo mainly drinks tea." Liz would be sure to find out, she liked for the guys to be comfortable if they were over. Johnny was over a lot because they both were huge rugby fans. So she generally had those cheesy nacho chips he liked so much, even though she couldn't stand them. Gia dropped them off with a smile of gratitude that she didn't have to listen to Johnny shouting at the television during the matches. When Francis joined them he usually just wanted some brownies. "I'll find out." She didn't like to ask Georgie to run personal errands.

"One of us will find out." Georgie had been telling Liz for the past couple of years that she didn't mind running errands. That's what personal/executive assistants did. Her jaw dropped at some of the things Maxie did for her boss. The last time the two sisters talked Maxie had suggested they swap jobs for the day and Georgie just laughed. She would strangle Kate Howard, but at least France didn't have the death penalty.

"Yeah." Liz tossed the dirty wipe in the trashcan. "I need to go." She patted her pocket to make sure the USB drive was still there.

"Do you need groceries?" Georgie asked as they headed down the hall.

"Taken care of." Liz assured her friend. "Hi guys." Jason was waiting, Renaldo and Max were with him. "I'm ready."

"See you later." Georgie waved as she let herself out and headed down to the elevator. She and Milo lived just down the hall, but she needed to get the mail from yesterday.

"Let's go." Jason said as Max held the door open. They guys waited in the hall as Liz locked up.

"Renaldo will you need coffee or tea? Or snacks? For when you're at the apartment?" Liz asked as they caught the elevator to the lobby.

"I don't have to hang out at your place, if it will make you uncomfortable." Renaldo let her know. Jason wouldn't interfere in what she decided unless he had to. Neither would Max, who made sure the guys were doing their jobs to the standard set by Cody when he was head of the guards. "You have all my contact information. You can call or text me if you want to go out." Just like he told her yesterday.

"I generally go out for a walk or to run errands around two." Liz said as the elevator doors slid open and they transferred to the one that would take them to the garage.

"It would be best if you were a little less regular with going out. I don't want to disrupt your routine, but if someone is watching they will know when to possibly try something." Renaldo pointed out.

Liz just chuckled. "You would think I would know that because I wrote that very scenario into one of my volumes last year." Her protagonist's sister had almost been snatched because she went to get water at the same time every day. "I don't have a problem switching things up. Nor do I have problem staying in if that is for the best. I can get my walk in at the gym." She normally ended her day with a workout in the fitness center anyway.

"I will let you know if there is an issue otherwise going out is fine." Renaldo said holding the door to the car open. Actually Jason would probably alert her to any problems before he could. Renaldo walked around the car and got behind the wheel. As the senior ranking guard Max had the option to drive or not. He had opted to be a passenger on today's outing.

Without even thinking about Jason covered Elizabeth's hand with his and when she turned it over he linked their fingers. The contact had the benefit of relaxing him some. Touching was not something he was comfortable with, so he rarely did it. Or let others touch him. His sisters, and his grandmother had been the extent of the list for the part of his life he remembered. However it was different with Elizabeth, her he always seemed to be touching. This was the first time they'd held hands in this manner and despite her hand being smaller than his they fit. Just like he noticed how well they fit when he held her in his arms.

* * *

"Elizabeth, Jason, it's wonderful to see you both." Lila held out a hand as they walked in. They both looked tired, it was not something she could say she'd ever witnessed in her grandson.

"Hello Grandmother." Jason leaned down and gave her a kiss.

"Mrs. Quartermaine." Liz gently kissed the other cheek.

Lila just sighed and gave the young woman in front of her a fond smile. "I'm never going to get you to call me Lila am I?" She'd been trying for years now.

"No ma'am." Liz smiled back as she shook her head. "It would be impolite. I was raised to respect my elders, and in your case my betters." Liz had a serious case of hero worship where Lila was concerned.

"Cheeky." The older woman said with a small laugh. Liz brought light in with her every time she visited. "Everyone else should be here shortly."

"Everyone else is who exactly?" Jason accepted the mug of coffee from Reginald as Alice pushed in the tea cart. "Thank you." He always used his manners around his grandmother.

"Your mother, and your sisters. Your father and grandfather will not be joining us." Lila was not going to have Monica, Skye, or Jason upset. "Here they are now."

Jason stood up and so did Liz. He hugged both Em and Skye, before stiffly hugging his mother. They were doing better, but still had a ways to go before their relationship could be considered close to good. Liz hugged Skye, and only hesitated a little before hugging Emily. She wasn't sure the other woman wanted to the contact but it didn't take long to realize Emily was happy with the gesture. Monica didn't get a hug. It would be hypocritical to suddenly pretend they were close, or even wanted to be. Liz had not liked Carly's reception by most of the family and that colored her relationship with the Quartermaines.

Once everyone was settled Lila got them underway. "The remains will arrive in Port Charles by the middle of next week. So we can go forward with holding the service next weekend." Her cultured voice filled the room. "I'm going to be meeting with Father Coates on Monday to go over the order of the service and to select some passages to be read. Elizabeth I would like it if you could go with me. If not then could you please write out some of Carly's favorite bible verses?"

"I don't see any reason I can't go to the church with you." Liz replied quietly. "If Father Coates remembers the wedding then he might already know some of them." Carly hadn't been overly religious but she did attend church most Sundays with AJ.

"If you could think of some songs as well that would also be helpful." Lila said still addressing Liz. "They don't have to be the traditional hymns."

Liz nodded. "Will any of Carly's things be coming with her? Otherwise I will need to go shopping for a dress."

"I can take that." Skye said looking at the other ladies, and Jason. "I shopped with Carly a few times before she left for England, and then when she came back for visits. She had amazing taste."

"Thank you Skye." Lila was happy her granddaughter felt secure enough to volunteer.

"Don't forget earrings." Emily said with a sad smile. "I remember Carly saying that she could go out without a drop of makeup, but she had to have earrings on."

"Yeah, she did." Liz nodded.

"Why was that?" Emily regretted not knowing her sister in-law better. For most of her brother's relationship with Carly, Emily lived out of state. She hadn't wanted to learn under the shadow of her parents so she went to medical school in Minnesota before moving to Baltimore. It had been the best decision for her, but it had put distance between her and her siblings. With them all leading such busy lives they didn't talk often. She was determined that was going to change from here on out.

"Carly said she felt naked without earrings. Her ears were pierced as a baby so growing up she always had a pair on. The funny thing is she only had like three pairs, including the diamond studs AJ gave her." Liz explained to the group.

They sat in silence for a few moments before Lila spoke again. "Jason can you pick up a suit and tie for your brother."

"I can. The tailor he went to will have the measurements on file." Jason would call over as soon as he got home.

"Now back to you Elizabeth. I hope you don't feel like I'm putting a spotlight on you." Lila didn't want to make the younger woman uncomfortable.

"No. I realize that you need information on Carly. You know what to do for AJ." Liz assured her host. Lila actually knew her granddaughter by marriage very well. If she had to plan this unassisted she would do fine. From day one Lila had been welcoming of Carly. They frequently had tea together or sat in the garden just talking.

"Do you know much of Carly's family? It was a topic she was uncomfortable talking about so I didn't press." Lila explained.

"As far as I know Carly doesn't have any more family. Her biological mother's name was the only one in the file. The private detective who was working the case followed up on a few leads about possible extended family, but nothing ever panned out. She doesn't have any family on the adopted side either. Both her parents were only children, and both sets of grandparents are deceased." Liz filled in the blanks. "That was why she was so excited to get two sisters and a brother through marriage."

"Would you be willing to speak on her behalf at the service?" Lila asked Elizabeth.

"Yes." Liz expected the request.

"Emily I think you and your mother should speak on behalf of AJ." Lila looked over at Monica who had been silent so far.

"I'm not sure that AJ would want me speaking at his funeral." Monica admitted feeling sorrow, and some shame, that things were so bad between them.

"I can handle it." Emily said quietly. "Do we have copies of their wills with any instructions?" They needed to take into account the final wishes of the couple.

"Justus is looking into that. Most people request a final burial location, very few actually plan out their own funerals. I will of course respect any decisions AJ and Carly made." Lila said to put Emily's concerns to rest. "Monica I will need some photographs of AJ." Lila looked at her daughter in-law. This was something she could, and should, do.

"I've been going through the albums most of the morning. I will pull some pictures." Monica replied nodding.

"I have a flash drive with pictures of Carly, and some of her and AJ. I even have one of just AJ, Jason, Emily, and Skye." Liz had been pleased to find that one. "It was taken at the farewell party before they left Port Charles. I was snapping pictures all night with my phone."

"I think I'd like a copy of that for my desk." Lila would treasure the image.

"I think we all would like a copy of that one." Skye said remembering the moment the picture was taken.

"Now, I think we should take a walk through the hot houses and talk flowers." Every bloom would come from the estate, it would be Lila's final gift to her grandchildren. "Jason you can drive."

He put down his mug and stood after the ladies did. Steering his grandmother out the terrace doors they headed to rear of the property to make some selections.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	8. Chapter 8

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 8

"Luke!" The postal worker yelled walking into the empty bar. He put the bound items on the gleaming wood surface while waiting.

"Coming!" Luke Spencer yelled from the back. Sauntering out he grinned at the uniformed man. "Hear anything good?" The world ran on what you knew, and who you knew. Luke liked to stay well informed, and well connected.

"Nope." The mail carrier just shook his head. Luke was a friend, but more importantly he was a way to make some extra cash. This was probably one of the worst mail routes in the entire country. Mark spent a lot of time in his truck driving long stretches between mailboxes. Picking up extra info did sometimes happened, although most of the time he didn't see another soul. When folks moved down here it was generally to be left alone. Stopping at the Haunted Star at least gave him someone to talk with. "Am I looking for anything in particular?"

"Not at the moment, but if that changes I will let you know." Luke said with a sly grin. On more than one occasion the postal worker had provided information that led to a nice payday. Luke always cut the younger man in when that happened. Better to part with a few grand than to be turned in.

To the outside world the Haunted Star was a local bar with a few slots and poker machines. One that looked like it was barely hanging on. Nothing could be further from the truth. In actuality it was front for a very small and well run illegal operation. Once a month he ran a very profitable high stakes poker game in a back room that didn't appear on any blue prints. Buy in started at two hundred and fifty thousand. Luke cleared three hundred thousand in cash for the one night.

Another part of the business was smuggling. No matter what, or who, you wanted brought into the country or taken out Luke could make it happen. Generally it was women, which didn't bother him in the least.

The last part of the operation was Luke's favorite. It also brought in the most money. If you needed someone located he was the man to do it. Since his backdoor was right on the Mexican border he had a lot of contacts in the other country. If someone was running they would often cross the border seeking safety. It wouldn't work because Luke could find anyone. Even if they didn't go to Mexico, he could still find them. That was his true bread and butter. His base fee was half a million, but he could get up to two million dollars if someone was wanted badly enough.

No one paid attention to the bartender who lived over his business just outside the incorporated city limits of Columbus, New Mexico. Hell no one really paid much attention to the small town of just under two thousand people period. If they did look a little closer at Luke that was fine, Mark's brother was the local sheriff. A monthly payoff made sure that Luke didn't get anything more than a quick visit. Louie did want to make it look like he was doing his job.

"I kinda hope it does change. I'm bored." Mark grinned at his friend. "My grandmother used to say a bored mind is the devil's playground. Keeping busy is always best."

Luke just laughed at that as he grabbed a bottle of beer from behind the bar. "Here's something to keep you from dying of thirst on the way home." The Haunted Star was the last stop for the day.

"Thanks." Mark said taking a swallow. "I'll see you the next time you are around." Which wasn't every day. Sometimes he dropped off the mail to one of the bartenders on staff.

"That you will." Luke said removing the rubber band from the bundle. It was larger than normal today because one of the newspapers was a special addition. National news was something he always stayed current on. The dish on the roof kept him connected electronically to the rest of the world, assuming the weather was on his side. The dish was also how he got his internet. The five newspapers he got filled in the rest.

Since he had only rolled out of bed shortly before Mark arrived Luke hadn't caught any broadcasts yet, so he reached for the remote and turned on one of the large TVs around the main room. Then promptly forgot them as he looked at the front page of the Port Charles Herald from yesterday. "Well look at that."

Carly Benson Quartermaine was smiling from her position next to her husband. Apparently they were both dead. Luke prided himself on not missing a payday, but she had gotten by him.

A PI had shown up looking for relatives of Bobbie. He hadn't heard his dead sister's name in years. The last thing Luke needed was someone wanting a cut of the profits. He had Lucky and he didn't need anyone else. But Luke would have been happy to pop up out of the woodwork and share in her good fortune of marrying into one of the richest families in the country. Only going back to Port Charles was a death sentence. So he figured that boat had sailed.

Until her picture showed up in the Port Charles Herald, via the London Herald last month. That was how he found out the young couple didn't live in New York anymore. Unlike a lot of his relatives AJ kept a low profile in his personal life, it was only in business that he made a big splash. And his business was making money hand over fist, which meant it was time his niece met her uncle.

First some information was needed, so Lucky had flown over to see if he could get any details on how a meeting with his cousin might be arranged. Luke knew that just showing up would stink of them wanting money. Maybe it was time for them to go the PI route. It was a good cover.

Lucky had reported that the Quartermaines were living out in the countryside and rarely engaged in London's social life. He said he was trying to figure out how to get more information without sticking out like a sore thumb. Luke figured if anyone should be able to do that it was his boy, he had taught him everything he knew. Lucky was a good pupil, and he generally got the job done. From time to time he screwed up, but that hadn't happened in a while.

Now it looked like it was too late. He wasn't going to be named in the will, so there was no point in reading any further. He would need to call his boy and find out when he was coming home. Turning the page Luke needed to see what the odds on the upcoming baseball games were.

* * *

"Georgie, you can call it a day." Liz said finally coming out of her bedroom. "I won't be doing any work when I get back home."

"Okay." The brunette said shutting down her laptop. Today was her first day back at work so she caught up on correspondence, and did some follow ups on a line of merchandise that was being produced. Liz wasn't big on the marketing of her graphic novels, but she did consent to endorsing a line of various products. This time it was t-shirts, the profits went to charity. Tomorrow Georgie would need to call Felix so he would know to expect the samples the company was sending. Nothing came directly to Port Charles so that Liz's privacy was not compromised. "I can be reached on my cell phone if you need anything when you get back home."

"Thanks." Liz said taking a deep breath, time was moving so slowly. It didn't seem like it was two days ago that she learned one of her best friends was gone. The good news was that this afternoon represented the last of the planning that she needed to be involved in. After today Lila would be working mainly with Monica.

"I made the reservation for dinner." Georgie told her boss.

"You are welcome to join us. Carly was someone you liked too." Liz told her friend.

"We weren't as close as you guys, but yeah I will miss her." Georgie did appreciate the invite though. "I located two saplings." Her boss wanted to plant two trees to honor her friends. "Diane is waiting to get permission from the city to plant them in the park across the street." Since it was city property they had to go through the proper channels, but there was a good spot that would be perfect.

Liz just nodded and looked out the window of the office. The sun was behind clouds and the day seem even drearier. "Thank you." She finally said softly.

"Do something for me when you get back home?" Georgie requested.

"What did you need?" Liz asked her friend.

"Try to take a nap." Georgie would be lying if she said she wasn't worried about Liz. Her friend looked exhausted.

"If I can get my brain to turn off." Liz said with a wry smile. She had spent almost all of last night at the drafting table. "I'll try." She said to make Georgie feel better.

"Okay. I'll be back tomorrow." She gave Liz a hug and headed out.

On her way down the hall, Liz reached into her office and hit the light switch making the room dark. This morning she had completed another panel for the issue she was working on. It was now in the fireproof safe she kept in the room's closet. "I'm ready."

Jason got to his feet. "You look pretty." He rarely saw her in dresses.

"Thanks." Liz said blinking back tears. "It seemed wrong to pick out a coffin in blue jeans. Carly used to tease me about not being very girly. She insisted I buy this dress the last time she was in town and we went shopping." That was well over a year ago. Carly had said it would be a good date dress for when Jason got a clue.

The navy blue short sleeved textured woven dress really was very pretty. The fitted bodice flowed into a full skirt that stopped right at Liz's knees without needing to be hemmed. The design of shooting stars was what had caught Carly's eye, Liz had also agreed it was very nice. The mix of dark and light blues with touches of lavender and white reminded her of the nighttime skies when she lived in Colorado.

She was thinking more along the lines of a nice dress for lunch with Lila instead of a date night. Although with heels, instead of the flats she had on today, it would be great for night out. Because despite what Carly said Liz was plenty girly, she just didn't really have a reason to dress up very often. Skye liked having to not dress up for their regular lunches, so they wore jeans.

"I think that she would like that you wore it today." Jason said quietly.

"I didn't mean the jeans remark as a knock at you." Liz said pointing to his pants. Despite being at the office all morning he was in denim, Jason generally only put on dress pants if he had a meeting. The button down shirt was normal since he took over.

Instead of answering right away Jason first closed the distance between them. "I know that." He finally said, she looked like she needed a hug. She never judged him because of his wardrobe choices. "Don't worry about it."

"We should go. I don't want to keep your grandmother waiting. Thank you for coming with us." Liz said looking up. Jason was just coming along for emotional support, although he would give his opinion if asked.

"I want to check on my grandmother, if I tag along I can do that without appearing to hover." Jason said as Liz grabbed her purse and they headed to the door.

"I'm glad I could provide you with a good cover story." Liz said smiling. Which was what she knew he intended. "Hi guys. You could have waited inside." She told them.

"We just got here." Renaldo replied as she locked up. "Jason said he would alert us when Georgie left." The guard was with Max again today and they were trying not to crowd Liz or Jason.

"Did Jason tell you where we are going?" Liz figured he had but she was trying to get into the habit of making sure to communicate with Renaldo.

"To the funeral home on Elm, and then over to the church." Renaldo could guess what Liz was doing and appreciated it. Them having open lines of dialogue would make his job easier, and make her feel like he wasn't there to watch her for Jason. "From there possibly over to the mansion."

"I'm not sure how long the first two stops will be." Liz said as they got on the elevator.

"Don't worry about that. Take as long as you need." Renaldo replied as the doors closed. Rushing her wasn't going to happen.

* * *

"I've never really given caskets much thought." Liz said looking around the showroom. She had been to funerals before, and had seen the ornate glossy wooden coffins but she hadn't really thought much about them once the services were over.

"It's not something most people like to dwell on." Lila said also looking around the room. "Mortality is not a topic that is eagerly discussed." Yet at times like this the fact that life came to an end was unavoidable.

"Would I start an argument if I mentioned that I'd like to pay for half of everything?" Liz had been trying to figure out when to bring this up. Since they were going to pay for both caskets today, now seemed like a good time. "I considered Carly family, and there is no reason for you to foot the entire bill."

Lila reached out her hand and Elizabeth didn't hesitate to take it. The older woman's grip was stronger than most would think. Feeling the warmth and softness of her skin made Liz smile. Lila was everything a grandmother was supposed to be, right down to sweet smell of her sachet.

"I am happy to know that Carly had someone solidly in her corner. I was, at times, very embarrassed at how she was received. You fought for her when the family got particularly nasty, and you urged her to fight for AJ. For that I am eternally grateful. I know the love you felt for her was returned." Lila said with a small smile. "You won't cause an argument, but I am also not going to accept your offer. The Quartermaine family needs to cover the expenses because frankly we owe it to Carly. As a whole we should have said that she was family before this. However I understand that you need to contribute, so you may cover the cost of Carly's casket." Lila was intentionally making a statement to the public, and her family. Still she could not exclude Elizabeth while doing so.

Liz nodded understanding what Lila was doing. Carly hadn't ever really felt like she belonged to anyone in the family but her grandmother through marriage, and of course her husband. Jason didn't factor into that count because of his own complicated relationship with the Quartermaines. Then Skye came along. Emily was doing her best to make Carly feel like family in spite of the distance, they just ran out of time. "Thank you for loving her." Liz was crying, she just couldn't fight the tears any longer.

"She made AJ smile, I would have loved her for no other reason but that one. It just turned out I was able to love her for the person she was as well." Lila said blinking back tears. To have outlived two of her grandchildren was hard. She prayed to not outlive anymore.

Jason handed his grandmother his handkerchief and from his back pocket handed Elizabeth one as well. Considering the nature of today's trip he figured the linen squares would come in handy.

"Thank you." Lila told her grandson for both she and Elizabeth. "What do you think of matching caskets?" It was time to make a decision.

"Carly would have loved that." Liz said on a watery laugh. "Do you remember the blue Christmas sweaters with the snowflakes?"

Lila laughed too. "Yes, I also remember the look of horror on AJ's face when she pulled out a matching one for him."

"That is still one of my favorite Christmas cards." Liz said laughing a little harder. This was part of the grieving process, sharing the good memories. In time it wouldn't even hurt to do so. "How about two of the mahogany caskets. One with a white satin lining for AJ, and one with the pale champagne satin lining for Carly. She loved a bit of sparkle."

"Sparkle suited her." Lila said smiling. "I think your suggestion is perfect. Silver handles?"

"Yes." Liz nodded her approval.

"I'll go get the salesperson." Jason had requested that they be given space when they arrived. They didn't need someone selling the coffins like they were cars.

"Justus expects to have any final requests faxed over this afternoon." Lila told Elizabeth. The full wills would be read after the service. Justus was handling that as well, even though the estate and all its holdings were in England. AJ's lawyer couldn't practice in America, but she would be present to answer any questions.

"Let me know if you need anything from me." Liz said as they salesperson approached with the paperwork.

"I certainly will. Once we are done here it's onto the church. After I'd love it if you came by for tea." Lila was worried about how tired Elizabeth looked. Jason would of course be keeping watch, but Lila would do her part as well. Carly wasn't the only one she considered to be family.

"That would be lovely." Liz knew if she went home right away the nap that she promised to try to take wouldn't happen. Some calming time in Mrs. Quartermaine's presence would be nice.

"Good." Lila gave Elizabeth's hand another gentle squeeze before both women turned their attention to clipboard that was being handed over.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	9. Chapter 9

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 9

"Sneaking out?" Emily asked as she came down the hall. She had gone to use the bathroom.

"No. If I was sneaking away I would use the terrace like I used to do." Jason said from his position by the front door.

"You're leaving before Mom, Dad, or Grandfather come home. That qualifies as sneaking out." Emily said with a smirk. She enjoyed it when she got to slip into the annoying little sister role. It didn't happen much anymore.

"Are you going to tell on me?" Jason wanted to know. Em had grown into a beautiful woman. It wasn't something he had observed before now. Just lately it seemed important to him that he really see the people around him. That he note their position in his life, and appreciate that they were there.

He knew this was a normal reaction when you lost someone, but he didn't want to give it the same lip service he gave this reaction after Robin died. Jason had said he was going to be do better, but had slipped back into the role of letting life move past him. Of not always fully engaging with the people in his family. The guys he regularly let know that he appreciated the hard work they did, and the sacrifices they made. He couldn't say the same thing about his other family. Especially Lila, Emily, and Skye. He really needed to do better in his personal life as well. He had let too many chances go by, so it was time to stop that behavior.

"No." Emily said shaking her head. Standing here teasing Jason she was struck with a memory of AJ.

"Tell me." Jason said coming over to where she was standing. He could see the flash of pain come into her eyes.

"AJ used to joke and say that he thought having you as a little brother was bad, and then I showed up." Emily said on a broken laugh. "I drove him crazy when I arrived from Arizona. It is safe to say our relationship got off to a rocky start. I used to follow both of you around trying to figure out how to fit in here. Trying to figure out what it meant to be a kid in this family." Jason wouldn't remember those years. "He wasn't as patient as you were. At the time I didn't understand the pressure he was under from our parents, and our grandfather. That me putting more expectations on him wasn't helping. One day he had enough and he yelled at me to go back to Arizona where I belonged. Grandmother found me crying in the garden and she explained some of what was going on. AJ left for rehab, for the second or third time, about a week later. When he came home he apologized. We did better for a while after that."

"Then he drove into the tree." Jason finished her thought. He knew his brother had gotten clean and sober several times before it stuck. Almost killing his brother was apparently the wake-up call AJ needed. "Everything changed after that."

"Not really." Emily said with a brighter smile. "A lot of things changed, but you guys still loved me. That didn't change. Even when you didn't know who I was you were nice to me. How come?" Emily wanted to know. Her brother's accident and personality change was why she became interested in neurology. She wasn't a surgeon, but instead focused her time on research. The brain, and how it worked, fascinated her.

"You were a kid." Jason said shrugging. "I was missing a good amount of information when I woke up from the coma. I needed to learn good from bad and right from wrong." Lessons he didn't fully incorporate until he started working for Sonny, and made some friends. It was actually Johnny and Francis who helped Jason develop the moral code he still lived by. One that was vastly different from the one Sonny believed in. "However I did understand that you were too young to have any real influence on the situation. There was no point in taking my anger and frustration out on you. I knew I was right about my choice when I came here after being discharged." He looked around the foyer. "You and Grandmother were the only people who gave me the space I needed. Ned learned to after a little while, but everyone else was constantly pushing me to remember who I had been." AJ was once again in rehab by that point. When he came home Jason eventually found another family member he could relate to. They were both outcasts on some level within the larger family.

As a doctor Emily saw the huge mistakes her parents had made. While the rest of the family could be forgiven for not understanding what was needed her parents were doctors. They should have realized that they were making the situation worse. Instead of being the mother and father that Jason needed they operated solely as medical personnel, a decision that almost cost them their son. "I loved you, and I didn't want to make you feel worse. I was also hoping for a ride on your bike." She said laughing and lightening the mood some.

"All you had to do was ask." Jason said smiling at her. "When is Matt arriving?"

"Tomorrow." Emily had talked to him this morning. He was feeling guilty for not being by her side. She told him not to be, she was proud of the work he did. He had saved the lives of two children by staying at work. Realistically aside from holding her hand, there wasn't really anything he could do to make the situation better. He would be right next to her during the funeral, and that was what she really needed. "I'm glad you like him."

"He's a good a guy." Jason had liked Matt from the start. He still had him run to make sure he wasn't going to hurt Em.

"So where are you sneaking off too?" She got them back on their original topic.

Jason just shook his head. "I have a meeting." He wasn't doing much work, just enough to keep his brain busy. He did need to be kept up to date with what was going on in the territory. "I'll be home later if you want to get out for a bit."

"I'm actually staying over at Skye's place tonight." Emily was looking forward to having time with her big sister. The day the DNA test came back had been one of the happiest of her life. She had always wanted a sister. Carly had been the cherry on the Sundae when she joined the family in that same role.

"In that case call if you need bail money." Jason said with a half grin.

"Ha, ha. We are staying in." Emily said rolling her eyes. "Poor Cody is going to be stuck watching a Downton Abbey marathon."

Jason had no idea what that was.

"It's an English period drama." Emily explained to her big brother.

"Okay. Have fun." He wrapped her up in a big hug and kissed her forehead. "I love you."

Emily blinked back tears. "I love you too. I'm going back to the parlor. I want to make sure Liz actually eats a few tea sandwiches."

"Thanks, for looking out for her." Jason would try to get back from the warehouse so they could have dinner together.

"You care a lot about her, so do Grandmother and Skye. In time I have a feeling I will as well. I already like her very much." Emily could see why Carly thought Liz and Jason would be good together. "Go, before Mom and Dad come back." She said with an evil grin.

"I'm not running from them." Jason repeated. "I'm running from Tracy."

"Why do you think I'm not staying over tonight?" Emily asked totally understanding his reasoning. There was a very good chance their mother and aunt were going to get into a screaming match at some point tonight which would be followed by Tracy being thrown out of the house. Emily didn't even know why their aunt was coming home, she didn't even like AJ.

"Call if you need me." Jason said before turning and heading out of the mansion. Max had been waiting on the front steps and together they headed to the large SUV.

* * *

Francis looked up from his seat in the boardroom. Because this was a weekly briefly they wouldn't all fit in any of the offices. "You didn't have to come in for this." He said to the man standing in the doorway.

"I'm the company enforcer, I need to be in the loop." Cody said walking over to the coffee station. Once his cup was fixed to his liking he grabbed a seat as well. "No slight on Max, because I know he has things under control."

"You trained him well." Francis nodded his head. "I have to be honest Jason, Johnny, and I all thought that Sonny had ruined Max." The oldest of the Giambetti brothers, or at least the oldest in the states, had been blindly loyal to his boss something Sonny took full advantage of. He had the big guard doing all manner of things that put him on everyone's shit list. Including helping Sonny sneak around while sleeping with Jason's ex.

"Why did you guys give him another chance?" Cody liked working for men that were willing to see that a person could grow and change. He suffered from PTSD when he first came on board, but that hadn't stopped Jason from giving him a chance. His boss just asked that Cody continue to go to group meetings, and understand that they were around if he needed them. Now he was doing better, and the family he had here was a big part of it.

"When Jason first came on board he was blindly loyal to Sonny too." Francis explained as he reached for his coffee cup. "So he got it. Luckily for Jason, he had Johnny and I. Max's training didn't teach him anything but to listen to his boss, which is what he did." The Giambetti Organization was old school. The men who worked in Palermo didn't get to have an opinion on the instructions they got, they were there to just follow orders. "We gave Jason a different perspective on things, that sometimes the things your boss wanted you to do were bad for the organization as a whole. Max straightened out really quickly after Sonny's death, and he proved his worth. You can skip out if you want." Francis offered again.

"There is nothing for me to do." Cody admitted while shrugging. "We are in that space between finding out someone you cared about has died, and the funeral. All the planning is finished, and I'm not really needed for anything within the family. Mainly I'm just making sure they don't upset Skye, or Jason. However I think Liz would eat anyone who tried to upset him alive."

"I hate to sound creepy, but I want to know something." Francis started slowly. "Have you seen any change in their relationship because of what happened? No one wants grief to be the reason they get together, at the same time Jason has to be seeing that life can change instantly. I'm hoping this situation hammers home that he is wasting time."

"I haven't spent a lot of time around the two of them together recently. OB might know." Cody didn't live in the Towers. If they weren't using the gym or the pool when he was then the odds were good he wouldn't see them while in the building.

"What might I know?" Johnny asked coming in and taking a seat.

"How Liz and Jason are doing. Outside of the AJ and Carly situation." Francis cleared up.

"I'm sensing a shift in him." Johnny said picking his words carefully. "He is all about taking care of Liz, and it feels different from the usual." They were all protective of her, especially because she didn't have any family close by. "I don't see them out dancing at the Grille this week all things considered, but I think there is going to be a change coming. Him flying to California to get her was telling. Jason wouldn't do that for just anyone. I'm not sure he would have flown down to get Emily." And everyone knew he loved his sister with everything in him. "So yeah I think they are going to come out of this a couple. I don't see them rushing things though."

"No one is expecting them to get married next week." Francis said chuckling. He would be fine with a dinner date. Both his friends deserved to be happy, and he thought that could happen with each other. "Any word from the British contingent?"

"No info to report just yet. Scotland Yard is being thorough." Johnny wasn't surprised by that. "The inquest is soon, so we will definitely get some information then."

The guys were thinking on that when the door opened and Jason walked in followed by Max and Shawn. Normally Ritchie would be sitting in as well because he was a LT. "Are we waiting for anyone else?" Jason asked taking a seat.

"Kyle is joining us." Francis answered the question. "How are the ladies?"

"Tired." Jason was only a little worried about how this was effecting his grandmother's health. Monica would be keeping a close watch, but in her grief stricken state she might miss something. Edward would also be watching, and for once Jason was glad his grandfather was around.

"We will keep this short." Francis said as Kyle walked in and took a seat. He was one of the higher ranking senior guards, but not a LT, so the younger man was probably curious about why he had been summoned. Everyone else at the table already knew.

Jason just nodded, and with that the meeting got underway.

* * *

Just before getting the notification of AJ's death a restructure within the organization had been completed. Jason, Francis, and Johnny had sat down to figure out who would serve them best where. Under Jason the former Corinthos Morgan Inc., now Morgan International, had almost doubled in size. Most of the holdings were still on the illegal side of the line, but the legal holdings were growing in number. It was just smart to diversify. In the past few months two of the guys running things outside of Port Charles had announced intentions to retire. Jason couldn't blame them, they had been loyal and hard workers. He also knew he didn't need to worry about them talking now that they were stepping down. So promotions needed to happen.

After his return to New York, Ritchie would be packing his things to head to Puerto Rico. Harry was ready to spend some serious time spoiling his grandchildren. Ritchie was more than qualified to take over. For the last few years he had been integral in running things here in Port Charles. His official title was Head of Business Operations which really meant he ran the warehouses and oversaw all the illegal shipments. Since those shipments were the heart of the business Jason wouldn't put just anyone in that position. The LT had been pleased to receive this recognition from his boss.

Max was going with him to be his enforcer and second in command, because Harry's second in command was also retiring. Johnny had suggested this promotion, and the fact that he did spoke volumes. He had been ready to ship Max home after Sonny's betrayal was made public. Johnny had said it would take a minor miracle for him to ever trust Max again. The Irishman had admitted during the meeting that Cody had done the impossible. He made Max into someone worthy of respect.

Shawn was moving into Ritchie's position, and Kyle was taking Max's slot as head of the guards. The look on the guard's face when Jason made the announcement had everyone laughing. He had asked if he would also be doing Max's other job of back up enforcer and was told no. Something that seemed to relax him. That job was going to go to Marco, as would the position of Jason's guard.

That decision was made without any input from Jason. Cody and Johnny, who was head of security, picked Marco after reviewing all their options. His work record with the company was outstanding. Like Max, Marco had been trained by Cody, so they knew that the younger man was capable. For the last year he had been backing up Max when needed, but they felt instead of head guard he would do better here. There was also something else they factored in, although neither Johnny nor Cody would ever admit it.

They picked Marco to guard Jason because he got along better with Liz than Kyle did. Not that she disliked Kyle, because she didn't. Marco was also a talented artist and he and Liz could talk for hours about the topic. So if Jason finally got off his rump, like they hoped he would, they wanted a guard with their boss that Liz wouldn't mind having around. If Jason had picked Marco to be Liz's guard, then Renaldo would be with their boss.

From the meeting Jason went back to his office to do some work. He also wanted to be on hand if case anyone called about the changes that were coming. In his private space he sat behind his desk, closed his eyes, and thought some about the meeting they had just finished. He had an outstanding crew, so when everything was done he needed to sit with Bernie and hand out some pay raises. With that decided Jason reached for the envelopes Angie had put on his desk.

* * *

It was Francis heading out that forced Jason to leave. The older man stood in the doorway of the office and watched to make sure his boss closed down his work station. He only smirked a little as Jason walked past him heading for his car. Since Marco was away, Kyle followed his boss home, the fact that he lived in the Towers too was just a bonus.

At his place Jason nodded to the guard and walked into his penthouse only to slow down as a smile formed on his face. Quietly he closed, and locked, the door before putting away his gun. The motorcycle boots went next, because he rarely wore shoes inside his apartment. Walking over to the couch the smile on his face got wider.

There weren't any blankets down on the sofa, which was why Elizabeth was curled up under his jacket, so leaving her here wasn't an option. Carefully he removed the coat and picked her up. She hardly weighed anything and this close her vanilla scent was even stronger. When she snuggled into him he almost groaned.

"Hi." Liz said quietly. "I was waiting for you to come home. I must have fallen asleep."

"Did you eat dinner?" Jason asked looking at the clock, it was almost midnight but he would make her something.

"Yeah. With Johnny and Gia." Liz said shifting and moving closer to his warmth. Being this close to him just felt wonderful. "I can go home."

Jason looked down into her dark blue eyes. "I don't want you to." He admitted softly. "I want you to stay here with me." It was surprising to him to realize he didn't mean just for the night. The feelings that he had done his best to deny were breaking down the walls he put into place.

"I'd like that." Liz said on a soft sigh before closing her eyes again.

Without another word he carried her upstairs and placed her on the bed in his room. He didn't undress but did stretch out beside her. When she scooted closer he mimicked that action until they were pressed together. Wrapping his arm around her he let the day go. Tomorrow they were going to need to talk, but for now they would get the rest they both needed.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	10. Chapter 10

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 10

The next morning when Elizabeth opened her eyes she and Jason were spooned up together on his bed. She remembered him coming home, and saying he didn't want her to leave. She also recalled clearly him bringing them up to his room. After that nothing, which meant she had finally gotten a much needed good night's sleep. Now they got to do the morning after thing, and she couldn't help but wonder if it would be more or less awkward because there hadn't been any sex.

"Morning." Jason said from his position behind her. The fact that she wasn't relaxed as she had been a few minutes ago meant Elizabeth was awake.

Instead of speaking she shifted until she had rolled to her other side and was now facing Jason. He didn't move when she did, so they were only a few inches apart. Up close his pale blue eyes were even more stunning. There were no striations of color, just that pure unmarred amazing hue. "Good morning. Thank you for letting me stay last night."

Jason gave her a small smile. "Thank you for saying you didn't want to leave. In all the time that I've known you, I've rarely had to guess what was on your mind. You've almost always been brave enough to speak up about what you want or need. It's one of the things I admire about you."

Her face was heating up. Blushing was pretty common for her, she was really pale so a change in temperature could have her pinking up, but it had been a while since a guy was at the root of why it was happening. "Some folks would say I can be too outspoken."

"They would be wrong." Jason countered as he reached up and pushed back a stray curl. "Did you sleep well?"

"I did. I needed to rest. I was running myself into the ground, but I couldn't seem to turn my brain off. After I came back home I went right to my studio, where I stayed until Gia called to check on me." Elizabeth said taking him through her night. "When dinner was over I spent more time in the studio. It was when I was standing in the kitchen drinking a glass of water that I realized if I didn't stop working right then I would still be at when the sun came up. So I decided it was best for me to leave the apartment. I didn't want to disturb Renaldo so instead of going to the gym, or going out, I came up here." The guards had standing orders that she was always allowed access to the penthouse.

"I was happy to see you when I walked in." Jason let her know. "If I had known you were here, I would have left the office sooner. I actually talked myself out of stopping by your place on the way up." He didn't want to be alone, but at the same time he didn't want just any company. He wanted to spend time with her. "Even though there was a chance you might still be up, it was late for a visit."

"I wouldn't have turned you away." Liz let him know.

"I know." Jason assured her, before they lapsed into silence. "I've been hiding, the past couple of years." He could see her confusion about the topic shift. What he was talking about would make sense as he continued. "After Robin died I simply retreated from life. Not because I was grieving, but because I was scared."

"Fear is part of grief." Liz didn't want him beating himself up.

"Yes it is. In my case, I held onto it long after the anger and hurt faded. I didn't want to let anyone close because they could die. Some people I couldn't keep away, my grandmother and my sisters. But that was different. I loved them, but I wasn't in love with them. I loved my brother, and I'll always miss him, but my life is going to go on. I already see signs of that. When you're in love with someone, no matter if it's a lot or a little when they die it sucks the air out of you. Leaves you hollow, and aimless." He was trying to make her understand why he reached the decision he had. "Then if you add in guilt because you may be why that person is dead, it can consume you."

"I didn't know Robin." Liz hadn't moved into the building until after the other woman's death. It wasn't until she had been friends with everyone for over a year that she finally asked Francis about the medical student. "I do know some of the events surrounding her death. It was never proven it was your fault."

"Nor could anyone prove it wasn't." Jason told her what the problem was. "Her mother doesn't blame me. In fact Anna is certain it was one of her enemies that took Robin, but I never got closure. I felt haunted, and I didn't want to go through that with someone else. The only solution I could come up with was to not open my heart up ever again. The universe must have taken that as a challenge because right after I decided that I was introduced to you."

"You were pretty honest about not being ready for a relationship." Liz commented. They had been talking about their exes when that came up.

Jason had to laugh. "I wasn't being honest. I was hiding." He said repeating how he started the conversation. "The fact that I hated seeing you with Ewan let me know I was lying to us both."

"You never told me that." Liz was surprised. She knew Jason didn't like her ex, but she didn't think it was because of her. "I broke up with him a while ago, how come you didn't say anything?"

"Because you were the risk too big to take." Jason said laying his heart bare. "I wanted to say something a million times, but I froze up. I let the fear win."

"And now?" Elizabeth asked looking into his eyes.

"Now." Jason said pausing. "Now you're the chance too good to let pass by." He finished in a husky whisper. "I kept telling myself that I would work up the nerve to tell you that I have feelings for you. That I've had feelings for you for a while now, that the next day would be when I finally said the words."

"You're telling me because your brother died? Jason." Liz got that fear had held him back before, but she didn't want it to be the reason he spoke up now. She didn't want their relationship to be a reaction to his loss. If they were going to move forward she wanted it to be based on the fact that they were both ready for that to happen.

"No." He said stopping her. "I'm not speaking up because AJ died. I know that it might look like I'm have a Carpe Diem moment, but I'm not. I'm speaking up because my brother lived. He lived and he loved and he didn't hide. The odds were not in his and Carly's favor, but he wanted to be with her. If he had one day or a thousand he wanted to share them with her. I want to be with you, and that terrifies me. What terrifies me more is lying on my deathbed and realizing you were the risk I should have taken."

She ran her hand down his arm and could feel that he was trembling. People thought Jason didn't have emotions. His nickname was Stone Cold because he never gave anything away in public. Yet he was stripping himself bare in this moment so that she would know this wasn't about his brother's death, but about the life Jason wanted to live. The life he wanted to have, hopefully with her. She got that the words 'I love you' were not going to be the next thing he said. They would get there though, and she could wait until they did. What he had already said was more than enough. "I'm willing to take that risk with you." Her heart was going to be on the line as well. Realistically the odds were greater he would go to work one day and not return. She was willing to accept that, she wanted however many days they could have.

"I'm still terrified." He said being honest. "I'll do everything I can to keep you safe." He wanted her to know that.

Liz just nodded and smiled. "I have no doubts about that. For the moment I think we should keep the change to our relationship quiet." It would give him time to settle without outside pressure. She didn't need headlines to make her feel like this was real. All she needed was him.

"We need to tell a few people." Jason found himself wanting to go to the roof and shout this news out. He wanted everyone to know, but at the same time he had to be sensitive. His family was grieving and all it would take was one comment that Elizabeth was moving in on him while his defenses were down and he would hurt someone. The guys though would be thrilled. "My family can learn we are together after the funeral. Except for Lila, I'd like to tell her now."

"You'll get no argument from me." Liz felt like she could float away she was so happy. The moment though was bittersweet, she wouldn't be able to call Carly and hear her friend's reaction.

"They would have been happy for us." Jason said urging her closer. "The night before he left for London, AJ told me I would be the biggest idiot alive if I let you get away."

"Carly wanted us together too." Liz said letting him soothe her pain.

"I know. She wasn't the least bit subtle." Jason said on a small laugh. "I liked having her as a sister in-law, but I would have wanted to strangle her if we were friends."

Liz looked up at him and smiled. "She once said the exact same thing about you. Why did she move into the building?" This was something she had always wondered but never asked. Carly had a nice apartment in another luxury building before living here.

"AJ was worried about her safety, and she wouldn't move into his place." Jason knew that was because Carly was trying to prove to the family the relationship wasn't about AJ's trust fund. She went so far as to insisting on paying rent for her unit. Jason also knew that the threat his brother was worried about was Edward. Which meant the older man would need to be watched around Elizabeth. "Agreeing that she could move in was the best decision I ever made because she was the one to introduce you to me."

"I was happy that we lived on the same floor. She brought some fun into my life, and a sense of family that I had been missing. Then she introduced me to you, and you introduced me to the guys which made my family grow. But the best was when you introduced me to Lila. I haven't had a grandmother since I was young." Audrey had passed away before Liz graduated from elementary school.

"Are you just agreeing to date me for my grandmother?" Jason asked arching a brow.

"Yes." Liz nodded enjoying how light she was feeling in this moment. At some point today this feeling would be tempered by the loss they had suffered. She was also expecting some guilt to crop up, that they could be so happy right now. But life did go on, and this new relationship was proof of that.

"I couldn't have a better wingman than my grandmother." Jason said smiling wider. "I'll call her later and see if we can crash tea." He knew the answer would be yes.

"I should go downstairs. If I'm not in the apartment when Georgie arrives she'll worry." Liz didn't want to move though, she felt really relaxed.

"Send her a text message that you are having breakfast up here." Jason didn't want Elizabeth to go just yet. Some point soon he wanted to spend uninterrupted time together. Maybe after the service he would suggest some time away. Even if it was just a week, he felt the need to take a break.

"That is a great idea." Liz said looking up at Jason. "I need to go downstairs, my phone is on the coffee table." She took it out of her pocket before stretching out on the sofa.

"Since that is where the stove is, and I need that particular appliance to cook, I'll go down with you." Jason said looking into her eyes and then letting his gaze fall to her mouth. Her plump lips had been something he'd thought about a lot since they met. He wanted to find out if they were as soft as he suspected. With only the briefest hesitation he leaned forward and kissed her. She simply melted against him as her lips molded to his.

When he fingers tangled in her hair Liz slanted her mouth slightly so they fit together better. She had wondered if he was a good kisser, and now she knew. Yeah he was. His lips were soft, and gentle, and yet she could still feel the passion simmering just out of reach. This was their first kiss and she really liked that he wasn't rushing it. Wasn't rushing her. It was almost like he was telling her that they had all the time they needed to explore what was between them.

"Your lips are softer than I thought they would be." Jason said when he pulled back.

Liz had to laugh at that. "Another thing I had no idea you were thinking about. I very much enjoyed that kiss, so feel free to experience the softness of my lips whenever you like."

"I will keep that invitation in mind." He said holding her close. "Okay, let me make you breakfast. Pancakes?"

"Sounds delicious." Liz said sighing when he let her go. At the side of the bed he held out his hand and she placed hers on top. The smile on her face widened when he didn't let go. The timing was odd, she could admit that, but this had been building for both of them. She was looking forward to seeing where they went from here.

* * *

"Hello my darlings." Lila had been happy to receive the call about a visit. She informed her grandson that they didn't have to wait until tea time to come over. She was happy to have them stop by whenever they were free.

"I love this garden." Liz said looking around at the blooms. "You have such a gift Mrs. Quartermaine."

"Roses are my passion. I learned about them from my grandmother. She said I was the best pupil she ever had when she came to visit me here shortly after I married Edward." Lila said enjoying the memories. It was the only time her Nan had ever seen the garden, and back then it wasn't even half the size it was now. When the weather was nice Lila often sat outside among the roses for as long as she could. Sometimes even working outdoors with her assistant.

"Jason take us over to the bench in the far corner of the garden." She wasn't in the mood to share her visitors. With Emily out there needn't be any guilt about that.

"Did Tracy arrive last night?" Jason asked as they walked away from the house.

"No." Lila responded sighing. "Ned is here along with Lois. He told his mother to stay in Spain. Apparently your aunt had some rather callous things to say about AJ's passing." At the moment that was where Tracy was calling home. In the years since Dillon had passed away the younger of Lila's two children was having trouble settling in any place for too long. Lila had invited Tracy to return home, but her daughter said no.

"Family can be the worst people you ever meet in your life." Liz said taking a seat. She was fortunate that she didn't have any issues with her relatives, but the Webber family as a whole was far from peaceful. It was painful to think about.

"That is so very true." Lila said as Jason parked the wheelchair and took a seat on the bench next to Elizabeth. "Emily will be home by lunch, Matt should arrive just before the afternoon meal is served. You two are of course welcome to stay."

"I'm not really dressed for lunch." Liz said looking down at her outfit. After leaving here they were going for a long ride on the bike, so she had dressed with that in mind. Blue jeans, her Harley Davidson boots, her bunny earrings, and a graphic printed t-shirt that proclaimed her love of motorcycle boots over glass slippers. Not what one wore to the Quartermaine dining room.

"I like your outfit very much." Lila said giving it her stamp of approval. She really liked that Elizabeth didn't feel the need to dress up when coming over. Lila wasn't the Queen, and people didn't need to be so formal.

"We are going for a ride." Jason loved his grandmother, but he wanted to be flying down the cliff roads listening to Elizabeth scream into the wind.

"Another time then." Lila said smiling. "What brings you by?" She wanted to get them on the road as soon as possible. The bike would allow Jason to release some stress.

Liz nibbled her lower lip as a case of nerves hit. Jason saw that and covered her hand with his. "Elizabeth and I are dating. We know the timing may seem odd, but this was the right decision for us."

Lila smiled wide. "The timing is perfect. It's just what this family needs, something good and positive to celebrate. Which means they will not." Lila said shaking her head. She got that Jason's speech wasn't for her, he was hearing what the words sounded like out loud for when he needed to say them later. "Some days I want to wash my hands of this family. Then I have days like today, when good news comes. You both have my blessing, and my wish for many years of happiness."

"Thank you Grandmother." Jason said smiling. That and his sisters' approval was all he needed.

"Thank you Mrs. Quartermaine." Liz said smiling too.

"After you break the news you will call me Lila." The older woman said laughing. "Until then Mrs. Quartermaine will do. Jason take me back to the house, and then you two go for that ride."

"We can visit for a little longer." Jason wanted her to know.

"I'm sure you can, but you'd rather be out there." She tilted her head to the road. "Come visit me again tomorrow. You can tell your sisters then if you like."

"Okay." Jason agreed after Liz nodded. "Tomorrow."

He pushed her back to the parlor and they both kissed Lila's cheeks. Alone the older woman pursed her lips. She was going to make sure that Elizabeth's entrance into the family went better than Carly's had. Even if she had to run someone over with her wheelchair.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	11. Chapter 11

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 11

By the time Jason pulled the bike to a stop he was smiling wide. This had to be the most relaxed he'd been in the last week. Being on the Harley always reduced any stress he was dealing with, having Elizabeth on the bike with him simply crushed it. There was something about the feeling of her arms around his waist as they flew around the curves that was just so right. It had felt that way from the very first time he took her for a ride.

Those first rides started, and ended, at the Towers. Then he began taking her to Vista Pointe where they would grab a drink or snack before sitting down and talking. Those conversations were when they really began getting to know one another well. From Vista Pointe they started taking longer bike rides, day trips to Buffalo and Rochester even happened a few times. It wasn't until last year that he brought her to the place they came today. The one place he hadn't ever shared with anyone else. Today they were at nowhere.

Liz dismounted, took off her helmet, and looked around grinning. After securing the safety gear she took a lozenge from the pocket of her leather jacket and popped it into her mouth. At some point she would stop screaming she thought to herself. It was just the joy of being on the Harley was so huge, she simply couldn't contain it. Until that day she would make sure to lay in a steady supply of the throat drops.

Looking over her shoulder she didn't see the guys. Normally it was just them on rides. Despite the fact that Jason had a guard from the day she met him, the security detail never followed them when they were on the bike. Once they had gone out on a ride with Johnny and Gia, which Liz really liked, but generally this was time for just the two of them.

"They are parked at the top of the road." Jason let her know. "No one can approach from the other side, so the guys can give us some space." Once everyone was sure that AJ's accident didn't involve Jason then they wouldn't need shadows on their rides.

This area had been renamed nowhere by the locals after the bridge that spanned the river washed out and wasn't replaced. At one point a house had stood here, but it had burned down. For some reason no one ever built on the property again. In fact it had been vacant for so long that a few years ago the city was able to claim ownership of the space due to abandonment.

"I love it here." Liz said taking in all the greenery. "It's always so peaceful." She looked around taking the area in. "The grass is shorter." The statues around the property were once again visible. "How often does nowhere get spruced up?" Liz figured Jason would know.

"Twice a month. Since no one lives out here a little bit of overgrowth is fine." Jason knew the schedule by heart. He didn't want to be out here when the crews were.

"I wonder if I can buy this." Liz said taking a seat on a large flat rock that had been warmed by the sun. "I have a lot of money sitting in the bank I should probably do something with it. I read somewhere that property is a really good investment, but I think they were talking about rentals and such." She wrinkled her nose as she tried to recall the magazine article.

"Property can be a good investment, it can also be a pain. Being a landlord is a lot of work, which is why I pay someone to oversee the Towers. Tenants have a lot of demands in exchange for their rent." Jason explained what he had learned since he had inherited the Towers from Sonny. "Residential clients are a much bigger headache than commercial ones. That's why I converted one entire building to office space."

"That still leaves you two building of renters." Elizabeth pointed out. The Towers were three buildings along the waterfront. They were the tallest buildings in Port Charles when they were built, and that status was returned to them after a fire destroyed the original Port Charles Hotel.

"Fifty percent of those renters are my guys, and I don't have to deal with everyone else." Some units were fixed priced for the men and women who worked for him. The money from the other renters, especially the commercial clients, was more than enough to ensure the property remained profitable. "You can't buy nowhere." He said getting them back on their original topic.

"You own it?" She guessed smiling.

"Yes." He nodded while answering. "But I didn't buy it. Lila gave it to me for my birthday. I'm pretty sure she did it to spite Edward." Jason said laughing. "He wanted to build an exclusive community out this way. I think the plan was luxury condos and a driving range."

Liz didn't say anything but to herself she was thinking that Lila had bought the land to keep Edward from being in direct competition with his grandson. Because that is what the older man was planning. He wanted to steal Jason's renters. She had no idea why Edward took so much pleasure in trying to best his grandsons. Instead of encouraging them, and benefiting from their sharp business minds he pushed them away. Or turned them into competitors who beat him in the end. It was a no win situation for the family, and ELQ.

"What is your plan for the area?" She wanted to know. "You could build a lovely home, with total privacy out here." Something she knew that would appeal to him.

"I actually had that in mind." Jason admitted smiling slowly. "Then those plans got derailed."

"How so?" Liz was enjoying this quiet time with him. She had worried that the change of status might affect how they interacted with one another. She knew several people who tried to make the leap from friends to lovers only to be left with nothing in the end. She didn't think she and Jason were going to crash and burn, in fact she was cautiously optimistic that he was the guy her heart would find its home with.

"I met this incredible woman." Jason started telling her. "She makes me smile, and laugh. I can talk to her and she always understands me. She also lives one floor down from me. Suddenly moving out of the Towers wasn't at all appealing."

Her heart rate increased in speed as her whole body warmed. The man had been hiding a wealth of emotions and now that he was letting her see them she was being left speechless. He had still been struggling with the fear from Robin's passing, but at the same time he hadn't wanted to put space between them. Somewhere inside of him he knew they belonged together. He recognized that Liz mattered enough that he needed to stay in the Towers and grow their relationship.

"I don't know what to say to that." Liz admitted blushing. Leaning forward she placed her lips on his, because the need to kiss him was pushing down on her. Lightly nibbling on his lower lip she pulled a moan from him as his fingers speared into her hair. Her arms went around his neck and pushing him they went down to the soft bed of grass. When they pulled apart it was because they needed to breathe.

"I like it when you are at a loss for words." He said breathing hard with a goofy grin on his face. He liked that she kissed him. "I hope it happens often."

"Don't count on it." She said giggling. They were still lying in the grass looking at one another. "You've known me long enough to understand that at some point the words will come."

"That's not a problem either." He assured her. "If I decided to build a house out here, would you help me? I'm not that good at design."

"Can you see blueprints?" Liz wanted to know. While he couldn't see photographs other types of images often presented no problem.

"Yeah. That's not the issue. I just lack skill in that area. I know what I like and what I don't. I just can't always make other people understand what I want." Jason said shrugging. The damage to his brain popped up in odd places. He was extremely well spoken with a large vocabulary, but getting a complete thought out sometimes just didn't happen.

"I would be thrilled to help you construct your ideal home." Liz let him know. Reaching out she let her hand glide down his arm until their fingers were linked. "I could draw something for you to give to an architect. From that they could construct a three dimensional image for your approval. Let me know when you'd like to start."

Jason saw a lot of time that they would be spending together, they might even be able to come up with a design at some point. Between kisses, because he was thinking anytime they were alone his lips were going to find their way to hers. "We can start when you are between issues." Her work was important and he wanted her to know that he respected it.

"At the rate I'm going that will be fairly soon." Liz was still cranking out pages at an accelerated rate. She had a feeling that production schedule wasn't going to change until this entire arc was completed. "I haven't spent an entire day away from the drafting table since I came home from California. I'll probably end up there when we get back to the Towers."

"I was hoping we could have dinner together tonight." Jason wasn't too eager for her to go back to her place. "I can cook for us, or we can order in."

"I can cook for us." Liz would like to spoil him for a change. "The number of recipes I have at my disposal is smaller than yours, but what I cook I do well. I'll need some groceries though."

"I'll send a runner. Is Georgie at your place?" Jason rolled to his back and pulled his phone from his pocket. He grinned when Liz scooted over and put her head on his shoulder. Cuddling was about to become his new favorite thing.

"No, I gave her the day off when I sent the text this morning." Liz said feeling utterly content.

"I'll have everything sent to the penthouse, you can cook up there. What do you need?" Jason wanted to know. He typed up the list, not at all hindered by her closeness, and hit send. With his phone back in his pocket he rolled them until she was partially under him. "Everything will be waiting. I asked Johnny to tell the runner to put anything perishable in the refrigerator."

"So there is no rush?" Liz asked loving how he felt over her.

"None at all." Jason assured her.

"Good." She said cupping his check and urging his mouth down to hers.

* * *

"Hi!" Emily waved and grinned as her husband walked off the plane at Port Charles International airport. "I'm so glad to see you."

"I missed you." Matt said lifting her right off her feet with his hug. When he put her down he gave her a kiss. "How are you doing?"

"Okay." Emily promised him. Guilt was all over his face. "None of that." She said as they linked fingers and walked to where the cars were parked. His luggage would be grabbed by a runner. "Those two kids needed you."

"So did you." Matt told her. Balance was not always something doctors achieved. He wanted to do better than his father had done by his mother.

"It's not like you bailed on a planned vacation. This is an emergency situation." Emily said trying to soothe him. "I really am okay. I've been hanging out with Skye and getting to know Liz better." It was just a fact of their lives that getting time off was harder for Matt than for her.

"One good thing did come from me staying home." He said as they got into the back of the SUV. While Matt knew what her brother really did versus what his business cards said, he'd never seen such a visible reminder of it before this trip. They had been followed to the car by the same large guy getting behind the wheel. It was something he would get used to over time, but it was a little surprising right now. "I was there when this arrived." He said handing over an envelope.

Just looking at the return address had Emily smiling. Inside the large parcel was her certificate proclaiming she had passed her medical boards. She would need a frame so she could hang this up. Her residency had officially ended a few months ago when she got the electronic notification that she had passed, but holding this piece of paper in her hands made it real.

"I'm proud of you." Matt wanted her to know that. She had worked hard to be at the top of her field. His wife was going to change lives with the things she would discover.

"Thank you." Emily said giving him a quick kiss. "We are staying in the gatehouse at the mansion. I figured that would be easier on you, since the main house is going to fill up with relatives." Emily had immediately accepted when Lila made the suggestion. Monica and Alan were not going to be thrilled, but Emily knew that all of them under the same roof for much longer guaranteed a blow up at some point. Especially with her father. "I'll need you to protect me from my parents."

"If Grandmother is there I won't have to say a word." Matt was a very big Lila fan. "I don't mind staying in the gatehouse, I have good memories of it." He wasn't from Port Charles and when he flew in for the wedding his future in-laws invited him to stay there instead of at the hotel.

They pulled up outside the small house and Emily used the key her grandmother gave her to open the door. "It was cleaned this morning, and some groceries were dropped off." Staples like milk and bread.

Matt looked around, the interior had been redecorated since his last visit. "Sit with me."

"Okay. Is everything alright?" Emily wanted to know.

"Yeah. I want to talk about an offer I got." Matt said as the settled onto the couch. Him getting job offers happened pretty regularly. With Em doing her residency he rejected them out of hand so they could stay at Hopkins, now that she was free to leave he wanted to talk about this job. "I've been offered the head of Neurosurgery position at Mercy Hospital."

"Here in Port Charles? That Mercy Hospital?" Emily asked surprised. General Hospital was the number one teaching hospital in the country, while Mercy was a close number two. But Mercy ranked higher in patient care. The last time she was up there had been talk of the medical center expanding its research centers.

"That Mercy Hospital. I know you don't want to work at General Hospital, but that you would like to be closer to your family. Would it cause major issues with your parents if you and I worked at the other medical center?" Matt asked his wife.

"They have room for me too?" Emily should have known he wouldn't bring this up if she would have to make sacrifices in her career.

"They want to talk to you. Dr. Ford, who is the Chief of Staff at Mercy, wants to speak to you personally. He wouldn't tell me what was on the table for you, which I respect. He asks that you call him, and he said to tell you he will understand if you don't do so before the service is held." Matt got the impression that Dr. Ford knew Emily.

She was nodding. "He worked with my parents." She said answering the unspoken question. "If I'm going to be totally honest Dr. Ford should probably have been named Chief of Staff instead of my father. He was Dr. Valey's Chief of Surgery, and that usually means you are shoe in for the top spot when that doctor retires. I think my parents have the positions they currently hold because my family owns the hospital." Emily wasn't saying her parents weren't great doctors, just that politics played more of a role than it should have.

"Doesn't one of Jason's friends' wives work at Mercy?" Matt said trying to remember.

"His friend's girlfriend is a cardio thoracic surgeon there. She's a rock star. I can ask her about the atmosphere and such." Emily said thinking out loud. "As for your question, my parents will freak if I come home and don't work with them." She shrugged. "That will not factor into my decision. I need to do what's right for me, and working at Mercy just might be for the best. I'll call Dr. Ford tomorrow. If I like what I hear we can talk about moving." She wanted to hear Matt's full thoughts on the matter.

"Okay." He said smiling at her. He wouldn't mind a move to Port Charles. He didn't have any family that he was close with left, and he didn't want his wife further away from hers than she needed to be. Hopefully the explosion that she was hinting at wouldn't be too bad.

"Ready to go up to the house for lunch?" Emily was planning on eating and running. She needed some time alone with her guy, and frankly she would rather not spend a lot of time in the mansion right now.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	12. Chapter 12

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 12

It was the alarm on her phone that had Liz putting down her black pencil. Reaching over she tapped the flashing red button on the screen and silence once again descended in her studio. This alarm was actually the secondary alert, she had completely ignored the alarm from the clock next to the drafting table.

Standing up she stretched and headed to the hall. On the door to her studio was a post it note from Georgie. "Said good night, but you didn't hear me. See you tomorrow." It was signed with a big G and a happy face. Liz was smiling as she headed to her bedroom to get a shower.

Hiring an assistant was not something she had been looking to do. Felix insisted after trying to reach her for a week with no success. In typical dramatic fashion her agent had assumed that she was eaten by a bear in the 'wilds of bumblefrick' New York. Liz had laughed for about an hour straight after hearing him say that. As far as he was concerned if it wasn't NYC, it didn't count.

She had still resisted hiring anyone until Felix mentioned that the publishing house was going to want to merchandise the series soon. That meant press releases and talking to the people making the products. She wanted none of that. However Liz had final approval over any and all such items which meant she had to be involved. The publishers also wanted M.O. Gene to establish a social media presence. Something else Liz had no interest in.

The right assistant could oversee all of that. So the hunt began. Not anyone would do, Liz needed someone trust worthy who could work unsupervised. Georgie had been recommended by Lila. The young woman had done an internship at the charitable foundation Lila oversaw, in the public relations department. If Lila had space she would have snapped her up, but the truth was the young woman would have been wasted at the foundation.

With a degree in business media Georgie was more than overqualified, but Liz asked anyway. It was an odd interview because she never told Georgie just what it was she did. Liz just explained the job in broad strokes, admitting that a lot of the duties would be filled in as they went along. She was still convinced that if anyone else had been hiring Georgie would have said no.

But Georgie didn't say no. She was actually super excited about the offer, and she admitted after getting hired that she had other offers on the table. Lila had said not to pass this up, and Georgie trusted Mrs. Quartermaine completely. The older woman was never wrong.

Now Liz had to admit that Felix was right to say get some help. Georgie made it so that Liz could focus on her art without distraction. In return Elizabeth made sure Georgie was not only well paid, but given a lot of respect for the job that she did. Especially the things she did without having to be asked, like making sure the alarm was set so that Liz didn't run late.

Tonight was not the night to make a grand entrance.

Liz hopped in the shower and let the hot water work the tense muscles in her shoulders. Once she stepped out she blow dried her hair until it was still slightly damp and put in her large rollers. With that done she went back into the bedroom heading into the closet. Underwear was put on and so was her robe. Makeup was next. Tonight she went with a smoky eye and a pale lip. She wanted to bring some drama, but not too much attitude.

Now it was back to the closet to pick something to wear. Considering all the zeros that followed the first couple of numbers in her bank account the average person would think she had a closet full of high end clothing. Which was not true. She had a lot of blue jeans, and a lot of t-shirts. Most of which had a smart saying on them. She had dresses that were great for lunch with friends. Liz also had a handful of outfits appropriate for business meetings, which was funny because she never went to any. Felix handled those. However when it came to fancy dress up clothing, sparse was the word that came to mind. At least in this closet. Most of her nicer pieces were stored out in California, but the nicer pieces she did have here were classic, and would never go out of style.

Her black dress was clean and would be worn at the funeral this weekend. Which meant one of the other handful of dresses hanging in the closet would have to do. Of the three that immediately caught her eye, one was the obvious choice so Elizabeth took it down and placed it on the hook while she picked out accessories.

* * *

"I hate ties." Jason muttered to himself as he placed the colorful silk under his collar. Stepping closer to the mirror he wrapped and tucked to make the knot. Despite not wearing them regularly he knew all the different styles one could achieve with the fabric. Lila had apparently taught Jason Quartermaine the art of tie tying as a preteen and that knowledge was still floating around Jason Morgan's brain.

Satisfied he nodded and grabbed his suit jacket slipping it on. Getting dressed up wasn't really his thing either. He was happiest in his blue jeans, and generally he only wore a full suit to business meetings. Sonny had been the one to decree Jason had to dress better for work outings. So damn near pouting the then enforcer had gone to get fitted. A few days later he had come home to find fifteen suits of various styles and colors hanging in his closet. The necessary shirts and ties had also been sent over. After Sonny's death most of the suits were given away, but he did keep a few. Now that he had a girlfriend he expected those suits might actually get some use, because he was going to want to take his girl out from time to time.

Looking at his watch he saw he needed to get moving. He was frowning some as he reached the top of the steps, but by the time he was on the first floor he was grinning. "I was on my way to get you." He told the stunning woman sitting on his couch.

"The drafting table was providing too much temptation." Liz said smiling as she stood. Magnificent was the only word to describe Jason in a fitted suit. On multiple occasions she had seen him dressed up, and each time she had to fan herself. The man was a walking advertisement about why tailoring was so important.

"You look beautiful." He said taking her in.

"Thank you." Liz ran a hand down her dress. The fitted shift dress was simple and elegant. The lightweight jersey material and the fact that it was sleeveless made it perfect for a summer night out. The high round neckline meant Liz didn't need a necklace which was good because she always ended up fussing with them. What had made this the obvious choice for this evening though was the color. A bright and bold red. The hue was one of Carly's favorites, and she did like a dress that garnered attention. This certainly fit the bill. The accessories were all gold because Liz felt silver was too boring. This was an outfit her friend would have loved. "You look very handsome."

Jason looked down at himself and shrugged.

That made Elizabeth laugh. "You got a haircut." They hadn't seen each other since dinner after the bike ride yesterday. They didn't go to tea because Jason was at work.

"I was due." Jason wanted to look nice for the funeral. "Me looking presentable will give Edward less to complain about."

Liz decided to keep her mouth shut about that. Lila would keep Edward in line, of that she was sure. "That is an amazing knot." Liz said coming closer to inspect Jason's tie. She'd never seen anything like it before.

"It's called an Eric Glennie braided knot." Jason explained to her. "It was one of AJ's favorite ways to wear a tie. It seemed fitting for this evening."

"Did it take long to do?" Elizabeth wanted to know.

"Couple of minutes. I didn't have to think about it. When we go out I can do it again if you want." Jason said as he walked over to the closet. All his suits were cut to hide the fact that he wore a gun. They would have security at the restaurant, but he wanted to be able to protect Elizabeth if necessary.

"You don't have to wear ties for me. We don't even have to get dressed up to go out." Liz didn't expect a lot of fancy dates. "Take out is fine." Staying in might be easier on his nerves in the beginning. Less worry about someone trying something.

"I'm sure we will do take out from time to time, but I'd like to take you to restaurants as well. You look too pretty all dressed up to hide away." Jason was going to do his best to not let his fear of losing her cheat Elizabeth out of the things other couples did.

Liz just blushed. "I know nights out will happen, but I really am more of a homebody. These shoes are comfy, but my sneakers are still better." She said with a grin.

"Nights out with sneakers are doable." Jason said opening the door. Renaldo and Max were in the hall waiting for them. "All set?" He asked the guards.

"We are." Renaldo said as Max called for the elevator. "The Bentley is downstairs. Glenn is driving tonight, we will be right behind you. The rest of the crew is already at the restaurant."

Jason just nodded as they stepped onto the lift. Inside Elizabeth placed her hand in his and he looked over at her with a smile. Tonight was going to be sad, but at the same time it was going to feel good. "Ready?" He asked her quietly.

"Not really." Liz said being honest. "But I am looking forward to being with friends. I went with the waterproof mascara, because I know at some point I'm going to start crying."

"I don't think you'll be alone." Jason said giving her hand a squeeze. This time it was Elizabeth who nodded as the elevator doors opened and they stepped out into the garage.

* * *

They were dining at Polluzo's. Not because Jason owned it, he rarely dined here because he knew it stressed out the staff to have the owner on site. They were here because of what this restaurant meant to AJ and Carly. The night AJ proposed to Carly, Jason had closed the entire establishment so his brother could give his girlfriend a special night. Lila had helped AJ plan the evening and gave the relationship her blessing by gifting a ring from her personal collection. Their grandmother also sent over flowers to decorate the space, just like tonight. She had sent blooms to bring life to the private dining room the group was using.

"You look amazing." Liz said giving Skye a hug. The redhead had opted for green because Carly liked her in that color.

"Carly would have loved that dress." Skye said taking Liz's hand so she could twirl her friend. "If I didn't look dreadful in red I would ask to borrow it."

"I look good in red, but Liz is shorter than me, so I can't borrow it." Emily, who was in blue, stated as she joined the group. Hugs were again exchanged. "Skye is right though Carly would have loved that dress."

"I think she would have given us all her stamp of approval." Liz said blinking back tears. If she started crying the other ladies would as well and they would be a mess.

"I had her in mind when I got dressed." Skye admitted to her friends as she wiped her eyes. "I can see you guys did too." They were all in colors Carly said she loved. "Since this is our sendoff of her, I wanted to do it right." They would all be at the funeral, but tonight was not going to be solemn. When Skye suggested this dinner she told everyone that they were gathering to celebrate AJ and Carly. Hopefully tonight would be filled with smiles and laughter, even though they would be bittersweet.

"I think they both would like that we are here to celebrate them." Emily added on to what her sister said. It was important that she always remember how happy AJ and Carly were together. "I had worried that AJ wasn't ever really going to find the place that he fit. He struggled with that for all the time that I knew him." She had been adopted at twelve. "Carly took that worry away. She gave him a sense of home, and made him feel that he was enough. I'll forever be grateful to her for that." Emily was blinking back tears as Matt put his arms around her.

"Why don't we all sit down?" Jason suggested guiding Elizabeth to her chair and pulling it out.

"Thanks." Liz said quietly. "Let's catch up with each other first?" She wanted to give them a minute to settle. "Everyone can share something good."

"We'll go first." Emily said smiling wide. "Today I accepted a position at Mercy Hospital." She nudged Matt with her elbow.

"I also accepted a position at Mercy." Matt grinned before adding on. "Emily said she wouldn't work there unless they found room for me too." Which wasn't the case, the medical center was excited to have them both working there.

"No way!" Skye said stunned and thrilled. "You'll be moving home?"

"We will." Emily looked at her husband.

"When?" Jason was happy to hear this news as well.

"About three or four weeks. We have already served notice at Hopkins, but we need to wrap up our jobs there." Emily explained as the waiter came in and poured them all glasses of water. "We need to find a place to live because I'm going to guess I won't be welcome at the mansion once mom and dad find out."

"I'm sure they won't take it that badly." Skye said trying to be positive.

Emily just stayed quiet.

"Penthouse three is vacant." Jason told his sister. "With it being in a different building from my penthouse you don't have to feel like I'm in your personal space. It's about the same size as where I live."

"That's an option." Matt looked over at his wife. Since her brother was making the offer he would leave the final decision up to her.

"I was kind of hoping for a garden." Emily said giving it some thought. She wanted a place to plant some of her grandmother's roses. "But short term the penthouse might work."

"No rush." Jason let his sister know. "I'm just glad you'll be closer."

"Me too." Emily looked around the table. "Who wants to go next?" It wasn't surprising that her siblings instantly gave their support.

"We'll go next." Jason spoke up.

"We'll?" Skye asked questioning his use of the plural pronoun. Emily was clearly waiting for an explanation as well.

Liz was starting to blush some, but she knew without a doubt everyone at the table would be happy for them. "Jason and I are dating."

"Yes!" Emily said clapping in happiness.

"Finally." Skye replied laughing. "Oh come on you knew someone was going to say it." She was so happy for them.

"I think that's a fitting reaction." Jason couldn't fault his sister. "I'm sure Carly would have been the one to utter that if she were here."

"That's the truth." Emily said laughing. "She mentioned you two were perfect for each other the last time we were all together. Who else knows? We told Grandmother our news this afternoon."

"We told Lila yesterday." Liz looked around the table at all the smiling faces. "We are not going to share our news with the rest of the family until after this weekend."

"I wish I could say that they are all going to be thrilled for you." Skye didn't want to be a wet blanket.

"Believe me I know what's coming. At some point I'm expecting to be called a gold digger." Liz said taking a sip of her water. If the Quartermaines knew her net worth she just bet they would welcome her with open arms.

"I think Grandmother will beat someone to death with one of her vases if that happens." Skye said snickering. "After how Carly, and Cody, were treated she has had enough."

"I wasn't treated that badly. Mostly I get ignored." Cody told everyone at the table.

"That's because I'm not looked at as a real Quartermaine." Skye said with a smirk. She still hadn't legally changed her last name from Chandler for that reason. "At times I'm grateful for that."

"Matt is the only one who the family approved of." Liz pointed out.

"That's because everyone wants their daughter to bring home a doctor." Matt didn't understand the older members of Emily's family. Their kids were happy that should be enough.

"You guys have anything to share?" Emily asked looking at her sister. She was grateful that Skye was in her life.

"Like everyone else we haven't shared our news with anyone but Grandmother just yet." Skye felt Cody's hand cover hers and smiled at him. "You want to do the honors?"

"We're having a baby." Cody grinned at the four pairs of shocked eyes looking at them.

"I'm gonna be an aunt!" Emily was up and around the table in a flash. "This is the best news ever!"

"Congratulations." Jason said shaking Cody's hand.

"Thanks. Should I come by the office on Monday so you can threaten me?" Cody was only half kidding. He and Skye weren't married yet, something the rest of the family was sure to point out.

"My sister is happy, that's all that matters to me." Jason knew Cody was going to take care of both Skye and the baby. "You can fight with her about the fact that her guard is now permanent." He said grinning.

"I was kind of hoping you would take that one." Cody said laughing.

"How far along are you?" Liz asked she had just given her friend a hug too.

"Twelve weeks this past Monday." Skye had been about to burst keeping the secret. "Everything is going great, and we are really excited to start our family." This baby was not an accident, but she was thinking that at some point someone would ask. Hopefully she wouldn't kill whoever did.

"We are so happy for you." Emily was going to give her sister all the support she could. "Let us know if you need anything."

"What she said." Liz gave Skye another hug. "We need some sparkling cider to celebrate the good news!"

The waiter brought in the glasses and the beverage was poured. "To Skye, Cody, and our newest family member." Emily raised her glass.

"To Liz and Jason dating." Skye raised her glass.

"To Em and Matt moving back home." Jason raised his glass and looked at his girlfriend.

"To AJ and Carly who would have been thrilled with all the good things that are happening." Liz raised her glass and toasted.

"To AJ and Carly." Everyone repeated as they started their evening.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	13. Chapter 13

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 13

Lucky stood outside the courtroom where the inquest into the accident that took the lives of AJ and Carly was going to be held. After this he was going to hop a flight and head back home to New Mexico. He had talked to his dad a couple of days ago. The old man wanted to know why he was still over here. What Lucky told him was a half-truth. Luke's lesson that the best way to get away with a lie was to sprinkle in some truths was well learned. His dad hadn't suspected anything was up.

Lucky said that he wanted to hear what the magistrate was going to say about the deaths, and that he was snooping around to see if he could get any information about the will. The truth was Lucky wanted to see if anyone figured out that he was the reason the couple was dead, and the snooping wasn't about the distribution of the estate. It was to see if anyone might have seen what happened on the night of the accident. With it being hunting season you never knew who might be out and about in the woods.

Lucky had indeed been hanging around the village near their estate. He hadn't been asking about the Quartermaines, but instead he played the role of an Irish tourist. Under the name of Ronan O'Reilly he seamlessly blended into the local pub scene hoping to pick up gossip or get a sighting of the couple. Neither angle had panned out.

So he decided to get a little closer and do some surveillance on the house itself. Security wasn't a major concern because there were no alarm systems or cameras in sight. Still Lucky had been careful. Getting arrested was not what he wanted to have happen.

It was on one of those nights of keeping watch that he saw the couple in question leaving their house. So he followed them to a fancy restaurant a few towns over. When they left he followed them back to the estate. Since they were on a winding country road that was empty Lucky figured this was his shot. He was going to force them over and kidnap them at gunpoint. The family would certainly pay to get AJ back, and he would demand they pay to get Carly back as well.

This wasn't the plan his dad came up with, but Lucky was positive that he could pull it off. So he gunned his engine and pulled up behind their car. He figured a few good taps would be all that was needed to force them to the shoulder, only AJ sped up as well. They had themselves a pretty good chase going because whenever Lucky sped up, Quartermaine hit his gas too. Lucky tapped the bumper, not too hard which made AJ gun the engine even more. Then the Quartermaine car hit a slick spot in the road and spun out. The car hit a tree, bounced off it, and then hit a second tree before coming to a stop. Lucky gently applied the brakes so he didn't leave skid marks and backed up until he was beside them. There were no pulses when he did a quick check so he got in his car and hightailed it out of the area.

The car he was renting didn't show any obvious damage, the small dent was one he could easily cover. The next day he drove himself into a tree and blamed it on a deer. The local cops swallowed the lie because apparently this was common. So now Lucky just needed to find out what the official report was. They didn't get any English newspapers and he didn't want his dad asking why he was doing a search on this when he got back home. As far as Luke was concerned this was a dead end, literally.

The door to the courtroom opened and Lucky joined the crowd walking into the room. Most of them would be press, but the rest were curious onlookers. He blended into the crush of people as he took a seat and waited for the proceedings to begin.

* * *

"Got a second?" Francis asked after tapping on Jason's office door.

"Sure." He said looking up at his friend, not even a minute later Johnny joined them closing the door behind him before taking a seat.

"Marco just called me." Francis would get right to it. "The inquest is over."

"What's the ruling?" Jason asked putting down his pen.

"Homicide by unknown party or parties." Francis said looking between his friends. "Scotland Yard was very thorough given who was involved. The detectives took a lot of pictures. Ritchie was able to use a contact of Manny's to see them. Apparently at some point during their drive home AJ and Carly were involved in a high speed chase. Two different sets of tires accelerating within a few feet of one another." Francis started going over what he was told.

"Someone was chasing them?" Johnny took a guess.

"Based on the tire treads, yes." Francis answered while nodding. "There was also damage to the rear bumper of AJ's car. Like someone tapped it. The chauffeur at the estate said the car was in pristine condition when it left the house earlier that night. The tires had oil on them and the police found a slick not far from where your brother ended up." Francis explained looking at Jason. His boss wouldn't want a whitewashed version of the events.

Jason leaned back in his car and began processing everything he was being told. His brother had been murdered. "What is Ritchie's opinion on the evidence he saw?" Jason sounded calm but he wasn't, not even close. He felt like he had been pushed back in time, like what his friends said déjà vu felt like. Once again someone close to him had been murdered by a nameless and faceless entity.

"It wasn't us." Francis told his boss. By that he meant it wasn't someone involved in their business. "It's just too sloppy. If another organization had done this they would have sent out a crew to clean up." The second set of tire tracks still being there said that didn't happen. "They would have sent you pictures to let you know what they did." Mobsters liked to brag.

"Is Manny reaching out to more contacts?" Johnny wanted to know. The Ruiz family had once been in Miami but were now back in their native Portugal. Manny did a lot of business in London and wanted to help his friend.

"He is." Francis confirmed for them before addressing Jason. "He said when you are ready you can give him a call, but he wants you to know this is a top priority for him."

"Reach out to the Collins organization and let them know I don't see this as a violation of our agreement." Jason knew that would be the other mob boss's concern. Life was random and you couldn't always protect the people you promised to.

"They contacted me already and said that anyone you wish to send over would be welcome to investigate." Francis passed along. They were also friends of Manny's. "I was thinking that we could reach out to Cooper, he's in Italy and does good work." Francis had checked before coming over. "Marco or Ritchie could handle it if you want them to stay."

"We already have plans with them in mind." Jason said shaking his head no. "I'm not going to hold up Harry's retirement."

"Cooper gives us a new face in the area, and he knows how to get folks to talk. Plus he will be devoting all of his time to this one investigation, so he might get information for us faster." Johnny thought that was a great idea. "I know he has traveled extensively through England, so he knows the area well." All that would help them.

"How is your family going to take this?" Francis wanted to know.

"They might blame me." Jason was the root of all evil as far as his grandfather was concerned. "When the truth is as a whole they have as many enemies as I do." Edward didn't always play by the rules in business and he had more than few people who would be happy to hurt his grandson to get revenge. "Call Cooper. I want him in England as soon as possible."

"Will do." Francis would make the call when he got back to his office. "Since this isn't us what do you want him to do when he gets there." Francis wanted to drive that point home, no one wanted Jason back in that space he occupied after Robin died.

"If he finds out who is responsible then I want him to alert the police." Jason laid out a course of action. "My grandmother and sisters, will need closure. Whether this is us or not. Once that person, or people, are in prison we can take them out there." And they would know why they were dying.

"I'll make sure that everyone knows what your wishes are." Francis said thinking it was a good plan. Folks were going to be watching to see how Jason handled this.

"I'm going to call it a day." Jason didn't think he was going to be able to concentrate anymore. At least now they had some answers and a direction to move in. "Who was driving?" He asked as he stood up.

"AJ was driving. Carly could barely drive over here." Francis reminded his friend. "Your brother was sober." Because that was what Jason wanted to know.

"I didn't think he had fallen off the wagon, but I wanted to make sure that was in the report." Jason didn't want there to be any doubt that AJ had been committed to his sobriety. "Call me if you need me."

"Will do." Johnny answered as they all headed out of Jason's office. "I'm going to ask Max and Renaldo to keep an eye on Jason." Johnny said as he and Francis walked down the main hall. "I just want to make sure he is doing okay."

"His interactions with Liz will be what we need to watch." Francis said as they stopped in front of his office. "They have been spending a lot of time together since she came home. Renaldo said it feels different from when she left, so I'm hoping an announcement of some sort is coming soon." He figured they would wait until after the funeral. "If Jason starts pulling away we will know he is not doing well."

Johnny nodded agreeing with that assessment. "He needs some answers, that more than anything will settle him. With things so quiet I may look into what happened with Robin one more time." Like the police they often came back to problems they didn't have answers too.

"Let me know what you find." Francis was thinking if Johnny could learn what happened to the young medical student it would help as well.

"Yup." Johnny said before heading down the hall as Francis walked into his personal space.

* * *

"Hi." Georgie gave Jason a smile as she opened the door to Liz's apartment. "She's in the studio."

"Can Elizabeth take a break?" Jason wanted to know.

"She's due." Georgie said looking at the clock on the wall. "Let me go poke her some." She said on a small laugh. When she walked into the studio her boss was drawing and muttering to herself. Georgie waited until the pencil stopped moving. "Jason is here."

Liz looked over her shoulder. "I didn't put anything on the calendar did I?" She wrote everything down so that Georgie could help her stay on track.

"Nope." Georgie said not moving from where she was standing. If she left now Liz might start working again. "He's waiting in the living room. I'm going to take a break." To give them some privacy.

"Okay." Liz got up and stretched. "One sec." She said to Jason before popping into the hall bathroom to wash her hands. "Hi." Looking at him he seemed tense. "What's wrong?"

"The inquest results are in." Jason said putting his hands in his pockets. He wanted to reach out and grab her hand but was hesitating. During the drive from the office he told himself that the best thing he could do was walk away now. Losing Elizabeth would destroy him. Ending things now could very well save her life.

As soon as he thought that, another voice spoke up telling him to not be a moron. Elizabeth was the best thing to happen to him. He already knew that the feelings she brought out in him were once in a life time emotions. He would be an idiot to let the fear win. Standing here in front of her he was still trying to decide what to do.

"What did the court rule?" Liz wanted to know. She got that whatever had been said was at the root of Jason's mood.

"Homicide by party or parties unknown." Jason told her looking into her blue eyes.

"Are you worried this is because of you?" Liz was connecting dots as they stood here talking. "Who told you about the ruling?"

"Francis, Johnny was in with us." Jason looked over her shoulder and out the window before facing her again. "He doesn't think that this is on me."

"Why not?" Liz wanted to know.

"Because it's too sloppy." Jason repeated Francis's opinion. "Ritchie said the same thing."

"Do you trust them?" Liz asked her eyes on his.

"Yeah." Jason said taking a deep breath and letting it out. "It's just that…"

"It's like before." Liz finished the sentence. "So are you planning on walking away?" She meant from their relationship. "Because if you are I have to tell you that you aren't going to have much luck with that."

"My life is dangerous." Jason didn't spend a lot of time thinking about that before Robin's death.

"Life in general is dangerous." Liz said standing her ground. "You've always trusted me to make decisions for myself about whether or not to have you in my life. Has that changed?"

"No." Jason made it point to not hide from her, and despite the things he had done she was still in his life. Still someone who believed in him no matter what.

"I'm choosing to have you in my life." Liz said point blank. "I know that means guards, and sometimes not being able to go out. It means threats to you, me, and the family we might someday build. I'm also choosing to trust you to do your best to keep me safe." They needed to have this talk, he needed to hear her say these words. Liz was guessing that when it came down to it, Robin hadn't fully trusted in the man that Jason was. "Is my faith in you misplaced?"

He pulled his hand out of his pocket and held it out to her. When she took it everything inside him calmed. "No." Urging her closer he dropped his head and covered her lips with his. "I'm still scared that I will lose you."

"We can be scared together." Liz said wrapping her arms around him. "I'm terrified that one day you won't come home." She knew what he was feeling, and he needed to know that. "That fear is going to make me hold on even tighter. It's going to be why I don't waste a minute of the time I have with you. But it won't be the reason I push you away." Having lost someone close to her before she knew how fragile life could be. Her lost happened years ago, which was why she was handling this better than Jason. The more he trusted in what they had, the more secure he would be in his ability to keep her safe.

"I'm not going to let you go." Jason promised her. He had his moment of doubt and it was over. She was strong enough to handle his life, and he was strong enough to keep her safe. They didn't need to revisit this again.

"Georgie is taking a break, how about you and I get something to drink and sit out on the balcony. I could use some fresh air. Or do you need to go back to work?" Liz said letting the subject go. Jason didn't lie and his promise was enough for her.

"Coffee sounds good." Jason said giving her another kiss. Time with his girl would relax him even more.

* * *

"You look pretty." Jason smiled at his girlfriend as she came down the stairs. During their coffee break at her apartment they had planned a small get together for the evening. He went home and made some calls to have things delivered, while she finished her work for the day. About thirty minutes ago she had come up with a garment bag and got a kiss before disappearing into a guest room upstairs to get ready.

"Thanks. I wanted something nice for our announcement. I may need to do more shopping." Liz said grinning. "I'm almost out of nice clothing." This dress was perfect for a night of celebrating with friends. Coral lace over a silk champagne lining formed a pleated suplice neckline that flared into a knee length skirt.

"Don't stress yourself because of me. I like you in your blue jeans." He let her know.

"Good because I'm not going to ditch them for you. I am a girl who loves her denim." She said laughing. She would need more dresses for business dinners if nothing else. Although if she wore the same thing to every outing he wouldn't care, Liz knew that. "I'm not going to stress. The internet is filled with stores that will happily take my money and then deliver my items to my door. Just don't tell Diane I said that."

"Francis said that she shops online all the time." Jason said as he walked over to where his girlfriend was standing. "Dinner is in the oven warming, and the appetizers are on the kitchen counter. I have some white wine in the refrigerator and the red wine is on the bar breathing." He pointed across the room.

"I bet you've never been so happy to own a restaurant." Liz said laughing. With more time to plan they could have cooked for everyone. However this was last minute so that wasn't happening.

"True." He said before dropping a kiss on her lips just as a knock sounded on the door. Looking over he saw Johnny and Gia walk in.

"Hey you two." Gia said coming over and giving her friend a hug. "That dress is amazing."

"Thanks. You look stunning as always." Liz said repaying the compliment.

"I'm just trying to keep up with the pretty boy over there." Gia said making fun of her boyfriend. "He's worth the effort though." She looked over at where her guy was handing Jason the cake they picked up.

There was another knock after with Francis arrived with Diane. "We brought wine." He said holding up the bottle.

"The text message said not to bring anything." Johnny reminded Francis.

"Some of us have manners." He said knowing full well that Johnny would have not shown up empty handed.

Before they could get going another knock was heard and Milo arrived with Georgie. Behind them Renaldo walked in, since he was single he didn't bring anyone. Both the guys were holding pans.

"I was wondering when you were going to wear that dress." Georgie had been with Liz when she got it. They had been out shopping for items for Georgie's trip to Italy to meet Milo's parents. She was also curious as to why they had been invited up.

"It has been freed from its closet purgatory." Liz said laughing at herself. "Can I get you guys anything?"

"That dress is lovely." Diane chimed in. "As for what you can get us, we are all rather curious about why Jason has decided to become social."

"I think that's our cue." Jason said placing his arm around Elizabeth's waist. The guys had walked over in time to hear the attorney's comment. "We wanted to invite everyone up to let you know that we are officially dating." He looked at his friends. "Go ahead and say it. Johnny looks like he is about to burst."

"Finally." They all said in almost perfect unison.

Liz just laughed as she leaned against Jason. "Worst kept secret ever."

Jason just shook his head. "I'd also like to reinstitute something that was a regular event when Sonny was alive. It's time we had family dinners again." While Jason had some serious issues with his former partner the fact that Sonny had everyone over on Sunday night was something good. "I was thinking Sundays, starting next week, since it worked out well for everyone before." Why they wouldn't gather this Sunday was obvious.

"I miss those gatherings." Johnny would like to sit around the table and catch up with the folks he didn't see during the week.

"I thought that only LTs and senior guards got to go to those dinners." Milo said looking around. He was still a junior guard, but hoping to move up soon.

"Georgie is part of my family, and I'm not going to ask her to leave you behind." Liz spoke up. "Cody, Skye, Emily, and Matt will hopefully be joining us as well."

"That was also Sonny's rule." Jason had no problem with Milo joining them. "I have dinner in the oven, so since everyone is here I thought we could sit down and celebrate our good news."

"That's a great plan." Francis said speaking for the group before coming over and hugging Liz. "Be happy."

"We will." Liz said smiling at her family. "Everybody take a seat. Jason and I will bring dinner in." In the kitchen he leaned over and gave her kiss before grabbing an antipasto tray.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	14. Chapter 14

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright is intended.

* * *

Chapter 14

"AJ would have hated this. I know he wouldn't want this big spectacle." Emily said as they stood in one of the private rooms in the rear of the church. "I'm pretty sure that my parents tried to ignore every single one of the final instructions that Justus gave them."

"At least Lila was able to honor AJ's wish that they be buried in the family crypt." Liz said from the soft chair she was sitting in. "I offered to speak to Monica and Alan about the size of the guest list, but your grandmother requested I didn't."

"It seemed like every time I went up to the mansion the family was screaming at one another." Emily said shaking her head. "It made me want to throw up."

"When we were at the house last night for dinner your father still was trying to get Jason to tell your grandmother that AJ and Carly wouldn't want to be in the family crypt even though that issue had already been settled." Liz said shaking her head.

"Nothing in this family is ever settled. Get used to that. Something you did ten years ago will be dragged out into the light if a point needs to be made." Emily said frowning. "Are you nervous?"

"Terrified. Public speaking isn't my thing." Liz told her friend. Over the past week she had gotten to know Emily better, and now that the young doctor was moving home they were both looking forward to hanging out. "Only for Carly would I stand in front of all those people and talk."

"I'm sure you'll do great." Emily was feeling the weight of the day, but she had to smile at her new friend. She could see how happy her brother was whenever Liz was around. "Jason will be up front so if you get nervous you can look at him. I'm sure I'll be looking at Matt most of the time I'm up there." She was used to talking in front of a group for work, but this didn't feel anything like that.

"I'm more concerned about crying so hard no one will understand me." Liz had been in tears all morning. Before she left her apartment she had taken some aspirin hoping to stave off a headache.

"You'll look lovely though." Emily said which made them both laugh. Carly used to always say that even if you were having a bad day if you looked good that was really what mattered. She was joking of course, and it always made them laugh.

"Carly hated black. I would have worn red but I'm pretty sure it would have scandalized someone. I probably would have been banned from the church." Liz told Emily. Elizabeth was in the only black dress she owned. A simple knee length sleeveless garment with a tulle skirt. It was paired with a tailored wool cardigan because the church was chilly. She had put in her emerald earrings to bring some color to the outfit, and lace shoes because Carly had been there when they were purchased.

"I would have paid money to see that." Emily said enjoying the laugh. "Can I ask you something? You don't have to answer if you don't want to."

"Go ahead." Liz couldn't figure what Emily might ask that she wouldn't want to answer.

"How do you get over the loss of a sibling?" Emily wanted to know. She had heard Jason say that Liz lost her sister at a young age.

Liz took a moment before answering. "You don't, not really. I still miss Sarah." She said quietly. "You pick up the pieces of your life and you move forward. You smile, and laugh. You experience joy and love, but you never get over the fact that they are gone. I still have days where I come across something and think that Sarah would have loved it. Or I have days where I wonder what she would be doing with her life now. Her birthday is brutal, and so is the day she died." Liz said being honest. "It took me a few months before I could look at pictures of her without bawling my eyes out, but eventually I moved forward. She would want me to be happy, just like AJ would want you to be happy. They wouldn't expect us to stop living because they have."

Emily wiped away tears. "Thank you. I needed to hear that. I'm really excited about moving home, and yesterday such a wave of guilt hit me that I could be so happy about something when I was a day away from burying my brother and sister in-law."

"That feeling will pass." Liz promised Emily. "Give yourself time."

"Thank you." Emily repeated, she knew Liz didn't have to talk about such a personal experience. Her sister was probably very much on her mind today. What she had shared would help in the coming days. "We should probably get out there." The service would be starting soon. Emily needed to give her parents and grandfather time to complain that she hadn't been out to greet those in attendance. She just didn't have it in her to do that.

They were getting out of the chairs as a knock sounded and when the door opened Jason was standing there. "We're about to start." He told both ladies. He had spent the morning sitting with his grandmother and pretending everyone else wasn't there. His grandfather was complaining about the security that was in place, but Jason just ignored him.

"I'm going to go find Matt." Emily said heading out into the main part of the church.

"How are you doing?" Jason asked pulling Elizabeth close.

"Tired. I didn't sleep last night." Liz said leaning into him.

"Would you like to come up to the penthouse tonight?" Jason asked holding her tighter. He hadn't slept much either.

"Yes, thank you." Liz wasn't going to want to be alone later. "I just need to get through the service." She said as the tears started again.

"You'll do great." Jason said rubbing her back. "You loved Carly and she knew that."

"I hope I make her proud." Liz said feeling safe and warm in Jason's arms. "Come on. I can't hide back here forever." They walked out into the main hall and Liz stopped short.

"I didn't know she was coming." He looked down at his girlfriend.

"Me either. Go have a seat, I'll be in shortly." Liz walked over and was immediately engulfed in a big hug. "What are you doing here?"

"Your friend died. Did you really think I could sit at home being shallow while you're here in pain?" Brenda said to her friend. "I'm selfish, but not that selfish."

"I didn't expect you to fly to the east coast for one day. A call would have been fine." Liz told her friend.

"I'm not going to irritate Jason." Brenda knew what Liz was worried about. "I'm not even planning on talking to him, although I do like the way he was looking at you. I just wanted to be here for you. I'm flying out tonight after I make sure you have groceries in your cupboard."

"Thank you Brenda." Liz said getting another hug. It was wonderful to be cared for. "Another friendly face will be nice because I'm giving Carly's eulogy."

"You'll do great." Brenda hadn't liked Carly, and the feeling was mutual. They had agreed to play nice for Liz. It helped that they didn't expect to see one another outside of Brenda's one prior visit to Port Charles.

"Elizabeth." Monica was standing in the doorway to the nave. "We are ready to begin." The tone of her voice implied that Liz was holding things up.

"I'm coming." Liz turned back to Brenda. "I need to go in. Grab a seat."

"Don't worry about me." Brenda said smiling at her friend. Monica was someone else the model could do without. "Let's get some seats." She said to Alek who had been standing by watching the friends talk.

* * *

Elizabeth sat in the front pew of the church with Jason's hand holding hers. Lila was sitting with them, so were Emily, Matt, Skye, and Cody. The rest of the family was sitting in the first pew on the other side of the aisle. Liz didn't question it.

They started with one of Carly's favorite hymns, and then Father Coates delivered a sermon using the same scripture that the deceased couple had highlighted at their wedding. After that they sang one of AJ's favorite hymns before Emily walked up to the pulpit.

Earlier in the week Liz had sat in the mansion and watched Monica argue with Lila about whether or not it was even necessary for two eulogies to be delivered. That it was just a waste of time. Dr. Quartermaine had said that if Emily mentioned Carly a few times that would be good enough. Monica made it a point to mention Carly wouldn't even have any family there. By the end of that conversation Liz heard Lila use a few words she didn't realize the older woman knew.

"For those of you who don't know me, I'm Dr. Emily Hunter. AJ's youngest sister. I'm one of three siblings he had. Growing up as a Quartermaine had its challenges, and as the eldest no one knew that more than my brother. He bore the weight of expectation. From our grandfather it was that AJ would one day run the family business. From our parents it was that he would pursue a career in medicine like they had." Emily paused and looked at the paper she had written her eulogy on. She was pretty sure her parents were not going to like what she had to say, but in his will AJ had asked that she not make him out to be some sort of saint since he wasn't. He wanted her honest thoughts.

"In the end he chose to not go down either of the paths that had been selected for him, but instead he honored the person he needed to be. Unfortunately between the time he was living with all that pressure and when he finally decided to live life on his terms he made some very bad choices. The biggest of which almost cost our brother Jason his life."

Emily took a deep breath. "But despite the fact that our grandfather, and our parents spent a lot of time disappointed in AJ, he was always a good brother. I'm not saying he was perfect, because he wasn't. I'm not saying we always got along, because we didn't. If you have siblings then you know what I'm talking about. My brother could be a royal pain, and I'm sure if asked he would have said the same thing about me. However whenever I needed him he was always there. When I was going through my own struggles he put aside his to help me find my way. When I remember my brother I'll remember how strong he was. How he was able to find the person he was meant to be and stay true to that vision. How he loved others, and in turn was loved. How he smiled when he talked about his wife Carly, and the life they were building together."

She wiped away a few tears. "I'm going to miss my brother. I'm still struggling with how my reality has shifted. With the fact that I won't get to see my brother or hear his voice outside of a recording, or get one of his amazing hugs. But I won't miss how much he loved me, because I can still feel it. I'll always feel it. For the rest of my life I'll know that he loved me, and I'll treasure that gift."

With that Emily stepped down and walked into the open arms of her husband. Jason leaned over and gave his sister a kiss on her forehead. Lila smiled and nodded at her granddaughter. She thought AJ would have been pleased with the words his sister had said.

They sang another hymn and then it was Elizabeth's turn. She got a smile from Jason before taking her turn at the pulpit. Looking out she saw a sea of faces and managed to find Brenda who gave her a discreet thumbs up. Looking down at the papers she brought with her Liz took a deep breath and began.

"I moved to Port Charles to get away from my real life. The goal was to hide because I didn't know anyone here. It was working until one day I met one of my neighbors. One who was determined that we needed to be friends. And she was right." Liz said smiling. "Carly brought such light into my life, and she brought laughter into my life. Best of all she brought more friends into my life."

"Carly was an outgoing person, and everyone she came into contact with was someone she wanted to take care of. Some people just thought she was loud and outrageous, which she was, but she also had the biggest heart of anyone you could met. A heart that she eventually gave to AJ Quartermaine."

Liz wiped away her tears and kept going. Emily had cut her remarks short after reading what Elizabeth planned to say. The doctor wanted everyone to hear this story. One that even she didn't know.

"Carly moved to Port Charles for work. She ran a very successful club in New York City, for Jasper Jacks. When he decided to open a club in the upper part of the state he asked her to manage it. He needed someone that he could trust because he wasn't planning on making many visits to the small town. Something that might leave his business vulnerable to an unscrupulous manager. He wanted his club here because of the record company that his friend Ned's wife, Lois Ashton, was starting. The club would be a good place to showcase the up and coming musicians. It would benefit them both from a business perspective. Carly wasn't convinced that such a small town could support a club, but she came anyway."

"Club 101 was, and still is, a rousing success. A lot of people credit that with Carly making it such a welcoming environment. She worked there as the general manager until she and AJ left for London. But she didn't stay just because she enjoyed the challenge of running a successful club, or because she needed to prove that she had no problem working. She stayed because that was the place she and AJ met."

Liz looked over at Jason who just nodded. "One night when Carly had been there about six months a man walked into the club. She was behind the bar because she was short a bartender, and the one she had was on break. The new customer ordered a Scotch with instructions to keep them coming. Carly's response was no. The man in front of her was AJ. His picture, and his struggles, had been in the paper almost non-stop. Starting with the night he almost killed his brother, right through his leaving for rehab, to his return home. A return that was not going well. It was going so badly in fact, that he decided being sober wasn't worth it."

"He told her that she could serve him, or he could go somewhere else. She pointed to her bouncer and said AJ wasn't leaving. What he could do was sit at the bar, drink the many club sodas she was willing to provide him at no charge, and enjoy the musical act for the evening. When her bartender returned she would even come sit and keep him company. He accepted her offer because he didn't have a choice and they talked for the rest of the night. Only stopping when she stepped away to call Ned and tell him his cousin was planning on ruining his life, because Carly got that once the club closed AJ was going to try to get that drink somewhere else."

"He left when she closed up for the night, and she didn't see him again for almost eight months. In fact she didn't expect to ever see him again. AJ ended up going back to rehab, he realized he needed more help. He eventually came home again and mended fences with his brother. He let the love of his grandmother and sister Emily help him deal with his daily struggles. He went to work for Lois, at her record company, because it was something new. AJ didn't know what he wanted to do with the rest of his life, but he did know it wasn't running ELQ. Then one night, when he was ready, he walked into Club 101 and asked Carly to have dinner with him."

"They were together ever since." Liz had to wipe away more tears. "Carly never knew that I heard that story. She wouldn't have seen it as something that needed to be shared. It was just her being who she was. AJ was the one to tell me. He was sitting at a table at their going away party and looking across the room at his wife as he told me. He wanted someone else to see her the way he did. Wanted someone else to see her heart. He said she was his shining light. No matter what name other people in their lives gave her she was always his shining light, and for her he was the man who made life make sense."

"I already knew that side of Carly. Others didn't, but I did. I was her friend and that meant I had her loyalty. If someone came after me, they had to get through her first. She even pretended to like one of my friends so that I wouldn't have to feel like I needed to choose between them. If you were in her life then Carly saw it as her responsibility to make sure you were taken care of. It wasn't something I ever took for granted, and it's something I'll miss. Along with her smile, her laugh, and her love of life. Like Emily said she would always feel her brother's love, I'll always feel like I've got a guardian angel watching out for me."

With her words concluded Liz walked back to where Jason was waiting. She let him hold her close and then took the handkerchief that he was holding out. Emily reached over and squeezed Elizabeth's hand as Lila gently rubbed her shoulder. Skye gave her friend a sad smile. For her part Liz just wanted to curl up and sleep. The pain was sharp today, but tomorrow it would start to fade.

Father Coates took the pulpit once more and invited those gathered to join him in prayer. As she closed her eyes Liz felt Jason's hand cover hers. The pain was sharp but she wasn't alone, she had Carly to thank for that.

* * *

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	15. Chapter 15

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 15

When the service ended Elizabeth found herself the in the midst of a small crowd of fellow mourners. Those who had come to say goodbye to Carly and just wanted to thank Liz for her words. A good many of the staff, former and current, of Club 101 had come to the service and Liz enjoyed getting to talk briefly with them. Looking over her shoulder she saw that Renaldo was right behind her. She also saw that Jason, Emily, and Skye were also at the center of similar groups.

After shaking countless hands, and getting hugs from people as they left Liz found herself standing with Georgie and Brenda. Both of their guys were also nearby. "Georgie this is Brenda. Brenda this is my assistant Georgie." The two women had never met in person because Georgie hadn't been hired yet when Brenda last visited.

"It's nice to meet you." Georgie said extending her hand. She had talked to the model countless times since getting hired.

"It's nice to put a name with a face." Brenda said shaking the younger woman's hand. "How are you doing?" She asked her friend. "You looked flawless while speaking."

"Thanks." Liz said on a small laugh. "Since I was representing Carly I think that is an appropriate compliment." The smile she gave the two ladies was sad. "Georgie can confirm for you that I have food, and have indeed been eating this week."

"If I didn't know better I would think you were trying to get rid of me." Brenda said arching a brow.

"I am." Liz said with a wider smile. "I do love you, which you know, but you should be getting ready for your honeymoon. You can fuss and be all momma bear when you come back for your Deception photo shoot, if you get the job."

"Promise me you'll look after her." Brenda requested turning to Georgie.

"I promise. I'll have backup." Georgie said pointing to Renaldo.

"We can talk about that when I come back." She'd never seen her friend with a guard before, and was only a little concerned. Liz knew what was best for herself and if it was the "alleged mobster" then Brenda wasn't going to question that. Much. What she was going to do, was tell her agent to sign whatever contract was offered. Money didn't matter, but getting back to Port Charles to check on her friend did. She would grant Liz's wish to go away for the moment because she knew that hovering would only cause a fight. "I love you." She said giving Liz a hard hug. "If you need to talk call. I'll answer unless I'm having sex."

"Brenda!" Liz said shaking her head at her friend who was being outrageous on purpose. "Your husband is turning red. Go and have fun. Post lots of pictures to your Twitter account so I can be jealous of your tan."

"I can do that." Brenda said giving her friend another hug before she let her husband escort her back to the waiting limo.

"She reminds me of Carly." Georgie said to her boss.

"Carly was a lot like Brenda, which is why they didn't get along." Liz said watching her friend go. "Sarah used to say that I attract colorful people because I'm so quiet. That they feel the need to dress me up, but I actually end up toning them down. She used to say that I was the only person who could get Brenda to be quiet for more than five minutes."

"Carly used to say that because you are so quiet you make other people feel at peace. That was why Jason talked so much around you, when he barely said two full sentences any other time." Georgie shared with a grin.

"I didn't know that." Liz said with a genuine smile. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Georgie was happy she could share that. "Do you need anything from me? Maybe a picture of your cabinet to send to Brenda?"

"No. I'm good. Take tomorrow off, I'll more than likely spend a few hours in the studio but nothing else needs to happen." Liz told her assistant.

"I'll be around if you need me." Georgie figured Liz would spend her free time with Jason.

"Thanks." Liz said before Georgie and Milo headed out. "Renaldo I need to make a call." Liz told her guard. "Can we go to the private garden in the back?"

"Sure thing." Renaldo nodded and as they moved toward the side door he caught Jason's eye. He just wanted to let his boss know where they were headed. All the siblings had ridden over together in the limo, and from the church they were going to the mansion for lunch.

* * *

The ringing of the phone was what woke Steven Webber up. He rolled over and looked at the caller ID screen. His sister's name popped up and for a split second his hand reached out to grab the device. Instead of answering he let the call go to voicemail as he rolled to his back once again and looked at the cracked ceiling.

He would need to return her call soon. For two reasons, one she would worry if he didn't. He didn't answer her last few calls and it wasn't fair to make her think he was in trouble. The second reason he would call her back was that he needed to ditch this phone, because he was in trouble.

His life had started spiraling out of control on the night his mother stood screaming at him in the emergency room of the hospital where his sister died. The night his family was ripped apart by an act of violence. Carolyn had screamed that Sarah's death was his fault, and the only thing that stopped her verbal assault was her being sedated.

He had gone right from the hospital to a wine and spirit store where he used a fake id to by a bottle of whiskey. He crawled as far into that bottle as he could and didn't come back out for a good long time. He went from a promising pre-med student to an alcoholic who barely held down a decent job. Drifting from city to city and job to job became his life. He couldn't even look himself in the eye without feeling disgusted. His parents didn't bother to look for him, but Libby did.

He still had no idea how she managed to find him in that rundown bar in New Orleans, but he had looked up from his drink and she was standing there. He tried to get her to go away, going so far as to be as mean as possible, but she never left. She got him sober enough for a flight to Colorado where she helped him get into a rehab program. She even tried to get their parents to come visit, which didn't happen.

Steven swore he got sober for her. The flights and the program could not have been cheap. He had no idea what his sister did for a living, but he was guessing she wiped out her savings to help him. So to honor that he promised himself he wouldn't ever drink again. He could do that for her.

And he hadn't gone back on that promise.

But he had an addictive personality, and it didn't take him long to find a new way to ruin his life. It started out innocently enough. After rehab he moved to Kentucky because he got a job there, and one of his new friends invited him over to play poker. It became a weekly thing, and he won as much as he lost. Having success there Steven decided to try his luck at a local casino. Nothing high stakes, just some games run by the establishment.

His luck started to turn and he became convinced that one good game was all he needed to change that. That a win would come at whatever game he went to next. First he drained his bank account, then he started pawning things, next he stopped paying his bills so the money in his paycheck was available for poker. Even getting evicted from his apartment wasn't enough of a wake-up call. When he lost his job shortly after that he just saw it as having more time to play cards.

Then his luck turned, and he went on a hot streak. He started winning games, and soon he had another apartment. He had money in the bank, and life was okay. A wise man would have counted his blessings and cut his losses, but the addict in him just wanted more of a good thing.

As a regular at the casino he picked up on gossip from the staff. There was a high stakes backroom game being held. He needed a fifty thousand dollar buy in for a shot at the guaranteed pot of five hundred thousand dollars to the winner. Steven was convinced that since he was on a hot streak this was his chance at a huge payday. Not having fifty large he had to borrow the money, but he got his seat at the table.

Only to have lady luck stand him up.

He ended the night almost two hundred and fifty thousand dollars in debt, not counting the original loan. When he started losing he was extended credit by his host, the same person who gave him the loan. He never bothered to ask who that host was, instead he sat at the table trying to change his luck. Thinking that the hole he had dug could be filled in with his winnings. It wasn't until the last card was played and he was introduced to Andre Karpov that he understood the money came from the Russian mafia.

With nothing in the bank, and nothing coming in Steven was in no shape to repay the loan. Which was not what Karpov wanted to hear. After getting beaten up Steven realized that his life was in serious danger so he did the only thing he could, he ran.

That was why he was in this rundown hotel. It was why he was on his second pay as you go number in six months, keeping the same phone for too long meant it could be traced. It was why he was keeping contact with his sister to a minimum, because bringing trouble to her door was not an option. Nor did he want her offering to bail him out. She didn't have that kind of money, and he wasn't going to have her in debt trying to clean up his mess.

That was why he took the only out left to him. He had used the fake ID he picked up to cross into Mexico. Now he was going to disappear completely. Before that happened he wanted to say good bye to his sister. To the only person in his family who hadn't ostracized him, or blamed him for Sarah's death. He needed to figure out a story to sell to her, maybe a job opportunity in their neighbor to the South. He would make her believe he was getting a chance to start over, and that he would be in touch regularly. Both of which were lies.

Picking up the quiet cellphone he listened to the message. His sister sounded tired, and she ended the call by saying she loved him. Steven was actually smiling as he hung up, not something that happened much these days. He would ditch this phone while out getting himself breakfast on his way to work. At some point this week he would get another disposable phone and call Liz. After they talked that phone would get tossed as well. Then for the first time ever he would truly be on his own.

Getting up he headed into the cramped bathroom to start his day.

* * *

"Everything okay?" Jason asked walking out into the garden. He waited until she ended her call.

"Steven didn't answer." Liz said putting her phone in her purse. "This was call number four."

"Starting to worry?" Jason asked joining her on the bench where she was sitting.

"Not really. Or I should say at least not yet. Kentucky has been good for him. This is the longest he's been anywhere since before he started drinking." Liz was proud of how far her brother had come. "I just like checking in so he knows he isn't alone." They didn't constantly talk about his addiction, because she wanted him to know that she got he was more than that. She also made sure to end each call by telling him that she loved him.

"Do you want me to send someone down to check?" Jason asked quietly. He just wanted to ask again, in case she changed her mind.

"No. It's not unusual for Steven to let some calls go by without picking up. He isn't always on the same shift at work, which doesn't help. We have an agreement that if he doesn't pick-up, or send a text, by call six I'm getting on a plane."

"Any luck with your parents forgiving him?" Jason thought it was ironic that both he and Elizabeth had families where the eldest child was estranged from the parents. Also that they both had brothers who struggled with alcohol. Now they had something else in common, they had both lost a sibling. It was no wonder that she got him like no one else did.

"No. I'm trying to get my parents to come to Malibu for a visit. I think us talking about Steven will go better face to face." Liz thought it was past time that her parents extended her brother some forgiveness. What happened was not his fault. "Maybe they'll let him come out during their stay."

Jason knew what happened to Elizabeth's sister, but he didn't know why her parents blamed their eldest child for their middle child's death. "I hope that comes about. I know their separation is painful for you."

"I think it's painful for my parents too, they just won't admit it." Liz said leaning into Jason some. "Speaking of parents, we should probably go see yours. Emily thinks that she is in for a lecture."

"More than likely." Jason said nodding enjoying having her slight weight against him. "Despite the fact that all they did was criticize him while he was alive Alan, Monica, and Edward would expect Em to paint AJ as a saint in front of their friends. The important thing is that I think my brother would have been pleased with what was said. By both of you."

"If your mother tries to lecture me, I may end up popping her one." Liz said laughing. She would do no such thing, but Monica would not like the response if she tried to be critical.

"I like it when you get feisty." He said leaning in further and kissing her softly. "I'll hold your purse for you if you get into a fight." He said after they separated.

"I have Renaldo for that. You could bring me ice after the fight is over." Liz was enjoying being silly. "Maybe kiss my sore spots."

"You got it." Jason stood up and helped his girl to her feet. "Ready?"

"I am." Liz said even though she wasn't sure that was true. For Emily, Skye, and Jason's sakes she really hoped things at the lunch didn't get ugly.

* * *

"Would you like to explain just what that was?" Monica wanted to know as soon Emily walked into the parlor. "You couldn't say something more positive about your brother?"

"She told the truth Monica." Lila had been bracing herself for another fight with her daughter in-law. The week had been filled with the two of them butting heads, and she was tired of it.

"I didn't see anything wrong with what Emily said." Ned said coming to his cousin's defense. It never ceased to amaze him how this family could tear into one another. If he had known his aunt was going to spend all week looking for fights he would have encouraged his mother come to home. They could have ripped one another to shreds and let everyone else be.

"Of course you didn't. You hated AJ." Alan said jumping into the fight.

Jason and his sisters, along with everyone's significant other, just stood and watched as the argument sucked in more and more family members.

"That's not true!" Lois said coming to the defense of her husband.

"Ned babied AJ." Edward said with real heat. "Instead of letting him return to ELQ where he could have proved he had what it took to be a real Quartermaine, you sucked him into that fantasy world you live in." He was still angry that Ned left the family business to play at being a musician.

"A real Quartermaine? What the hell does that even mean?" Ned wanted to know.

"It means you couldn't cut it in the corporate world, and you didn't want him to either. You spent years undermining his attempts to run the business and you saw another way when he came home from rehab." Edward said shaking his finger at his grandson.

"I think you have that backwards." Skye said unable to stay quiet. "You dangle ELQ like some prize to be won, when you have no intention of giving up the reins until you are forced to." As a latecomer to the family she had the clearest perspective on just how things really worked. A lot of the problems they had could be laid at Edward's need for control. It was toxic to everyone around him.

"You have no idea what you are talking about." Alan said shooting his daughter a nasty look. "You weren't even here when AJ was having problems."

"No she wasn't." Emily said seeming to agree with her father. "Which is probably why she isn't as screwed up as the rest of us." Yes Skye had her own struggles, but she showed a level of maturity that most of the family couldn't match. "AJ didn't want to be portrayed as a saint, he wanted people to know what I saw when I looked at him. If you have a problem with what I said that's on you."

Before the next round of the argument could start up a throat was cleared. Standing between the open doors of the terrace was Justus, next to him was a brunette woman that no one recognized. Next to her was a blonde haired woman, and in the arms of the second woman was a baby. Looking at the cerulean blue eyes that both Quartermaine boys inherited from Lila there was no doubt to the gathered members of the family that they were looking at AJ's son.

* * *

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	16. Chapter 16

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 16

Justus just shook his head. As first impressions went the family had just made a lousy one. They could hear the infighting as they walked up the path through the garden. You would think if there was any day they could find a way to get along it would be today.

"Who is that?" Monica said standing stunned by her husband. With the exception of his red hair the little boy was almost the spitting image of his father at that age.

"This is Miranda Jameson. She is, was, AJ and Carly's attorney." Justus said making the introductions, even though he knew that wasn't who his aunt was talking about.

"Hello." Miranda said looking around the room. She wasn't surprised by what she had just heard. AJ had been very blunt in the descriptions of certain members of his family. Which explained why he and Carly made some of the choices they had.

"AJ had a son." Alan said coming out of his stunned silence. No one had moved from the spots they were standing in.

"Yes, he did." Miranda also knew that most of the family had no idea of the child's existence, and why. "The rest of the Quartermaine estate can be dealt with in the coming days, but Michael's care needs to be handled now. Which I'm sure you all understand."

"Michael." Monica said still staring at her grandson. "How did we not know AJ had a son?" She was finally seeing just how far apart she and her eldest child had drifted.

"Elizabeth Webber?" Miranda didn't have names for faces.

"That's me." Liz said raising her hand. She was as stunned as everyone else in the room.

"Carly said you agreed to be Michael's godmother." Miranda started there.

"You knew?" Monica asked in a voice dripping with venom as she turned on the petite brunette. "You knew and you kept this from everyone."

"Monica you will want to watch your tone. I'm not one of your children, and I'm not inclined to be a patient as they are." Elizabeth said staring the older woman down. "Grieving or not if you push me I will have no problem pushing back." Liz made sure Monica knew. "Jason, I need to speak with you. Emily and Skye you are welcome to join us. You too Mrs. Quartermaine. It is probably best if the attorneys, and who are you?"

"Nadine Crowell. I'm Michael's nanny." The blonde woman said speaking for the first time.

"You should come too." Liz said before walking out of the parlor.

"You can leave Michael with us." Monica said holding out her hands.

"No, she can't." Miranda said before she indicated that Nadine should bring the baby with them.

* * *

They ended up in the den, with the doors closed. Elizabeth went to open her mouth to explain that she didn't know about Michael when Jason interrupted. "I think I know what happened."

"I don't think you do." Liz said putting some pieces together in her head.

"Less than a year ago you got a call from Carly. It wasn't anything special, but at some point during the conversation you two started talking about children. Carly said to you something along the lines of if she and my brother had children would you be the godmother. Because she knew that you would look after her child, or children, as if they were your own if anything happened." Jason said looking at Elizabeth.

"Okay, that's just scary." Liz replied surprised that he knew that. "AJ?" She guessed.

"Yeah. After we had that talk I waited for a baby announcement." Jason explained to everyone in the room.

"But it never came." Liz said picking up the narrative. "I was worried that they suffered a miscarriage."

"Me too. I came right out and asked if anything bad happened to them, AJ said they were fine." Jason should have realized that Carly would have had a similar conversation with Elizabeth. Not that he would have asked because he didn't expect her to betray a confidence.

"I listened for changes in Carly's voice, or how she acted during our talks. She sounded tired, but not like she was devastated." Liz knew a miscarriage would have torn her friend apart.

"Why didn't they say anything?" Emily wanted to know.

"Because of how Carly was treated." Skye got that pretty quickly after her brother started talking.

"That is a big reason why they stayed silent." Lila knew it was time for her to join the conversation.

"You knew." Jason looked over at his grandmother. The fact that she did wasn't surprising.

"I did." Lila admitted smiling. "AJ was not convinced that an ocean would be enough to keep the family from stressing out his wife, and Carly needed to stay calm."

"Why?" Emily heard a strange tone in her grandmother's voice.

"Michael was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect while still in the womb. The doctors weren't sure he would survive, and once he was born he needed to have surgery. Immediately. AJ needed your father's medical records because this is hereditary. I got them for him." She had broken several laws doing so, but didn't regret her actions.

"I hate to think of the two of them worrying for months without our support." Liz said shaking her head. "I would have dropped everything and flown to England."

"Which would have alerted the family. They didn't want you, or any of us, lying for them." Skye said not even wanting to imagine what her brother and his wife had gone through.

"Why are we just learning about Michael now?" Emily still wasn't clear about that. "If the birth went fine, why hide him?"

"Before you answer that, can you tell us how his health is now?" Liz said looking at the little boy with rosy cheeks who was leaning against his nanny. "And can you tell us how old he is?"

"Michael is two months old." Nadine provided after Miranda nodded. "Health wise he is fine. The doctors had to perform surgery right after the birth, they were able to go in through his armpit so he won't even have a scare. He was only in the hospital for a week after surgery." She shared with the group. "He'll need yearly exams with a pediatric cardiologist as he grows, and he is on the low end of normal weight wise, but he is hitting all his benchmarks and not showing any ill effects. His pediatrician in England said she expected that Michael wouldn't have any problems from this point forward."

"As for why you didn't know about him." Miranda took over. "He wasn't cleared to fly until last week. AJ said that it would be best to tell everyone about Michael in person."

"The surprise that AJ and Carly had for everyone." Jason said smiling. "That's just like him."

"Your brother was concerned about how the baby would be received, particularly by your grandfather who had made some remarks about DNA tests." Miranda said looking at the group.

"Edward told AJ to make sure any baby they brought home had blood tests to prove it was a Quartermaine." Justus had been there for that conversation. "Grandfather said it wouldn't be beyond Carly to use a baby to tie herself to the family for life. That was when AJ decided they needed to move."

"It's another version of what you went through." Cody said looking at his girlfriend.

"It's also why I'm in no rush to announce my pregnancy." Skye found herself not blaming her brother or Carly at all.

"You're pregnant. Congratulations." Justus walked over and gave his cousin a hug. "I'll consider that lawyer/client privilege. I'll also file the restraining order for Edward when you are ready."

"I doubt I'll need one. I'm not a real Quartermaine either." Skye said accepting the hug and watching as Justus shook hands with Cody.

"Yes you will. I'm sure another thing AJ was hoping to avoid was Carly going through months of hearing how she was carrying the future CEO of ELQ." Emily also harbored no anger toward her brother or Carly. "Once the DNA test came back with the proper results." Emily said shaking her head. "Do you see now why I'm hesitant to have children?" She asked her husband.

"I actually thought you were exaggerating some about how kids in your family were treated." Matt admitted with a sheepish grin. "I'm sorry for doubting you." This week had been eye opening.

"I want it clear that I have no problem with you raising Michael." Emily said looking at Elizabeth. "He might have a shot at normalcy with you as his mother."

"I don't have a problem with it either." Skye told her friend.

"Me either." Jason said smiling. "I'll protect you from everyone else." He also tacked on because Elizabeth was looking at a fight.

"Actually." Miranda said getting everyone's attention. She was going to grateful for her family from this point forward. "Ms. Webber wasn't named Michael's guardian. She's his godmother. Mr. Morgan was given custody of his nephew." Once again she had rendered everyone in the room mute.

* * *

"We need to start putting together a plan. She cannot be allowed to keep my great-grandson." Edward said looking at Alan and Monica. "You will adopt Michael, and I will absorb AJ's company into ELQ."

"Which one is more important?" Ned wanted to know. He was wondering when the company was going to be mentioned.

"Of course Elizabeth isn't going to be raising Michael." Alan told his father. "Does she even have a job? I've never once heard her mention working. She isn't going to be living off of my grandson's trust fund."

"We are going to need a lawyer." Monica said looking at her husband and father in-law. "We will also need a counter to Lila." Monica was smart enough to know that her mother in-law's word would sway a judge, and that Lila was going to side with Elizabeth. Because that was what AJ and Carly had put in their will.

"Do you really think Jason is just going to sit back and let you take his nephew from Liz?" Ned asked incredulously.

"That deviant doesn't have a leg to stand on. No judge will take his word over this family's." Edward said sure they would win.

"Maybe not, but he isn't going to let you hurt Elizabeth." Ned said trying to be the voice of reason.

"She doesn't mean anything to him." Monica was sure of that. "Otherwise they would be more than friends."

Lois just looked at her husband. She had seen the shift in Jason and Liz this week, but her in-laws had not. Even dealing with the funerals it was too obvious to miss.

"Let's exclude Jason. Do you think Emily will let you take Michael from Liz? Her word will carry weight, especially when it comes to the type of parents you two are." Ned tried that angle, he left Skye out even though he knew she would back Elizabeth as well. "You can't win this fight. Hell even if they don't try to stop you I will. This is what AJ and Carly wanted, you don't get to change that."

Monica, Alan, and Edward just looked at one another. "We need to get on finding a lawyer." Edward said knowing that was priority number one.

* * *

"Me?" Jason said once again stunned. "I know nothing about children. I don't even remember being one." What the hell had his brother been thinking?

"We will all be here to support you." Emily let him know. "I'm really glad to be moving back home." She wanted to watch her nephew grow up.

"You'll be great with him." Liz said walking over and taking Jason's hand.

"Your brother was very deliberate in making this choice." Lila said as all eyes turned to her. "AJ and Carly wanted someone who would love their son as their own. Anyone one of you would have done that. Believe me when I say this was not something they doubted. At the same time they needed someone strong enough to fight off Edward. While Monica and Alan will make noise the big danger here is my husband." It shamed her to say that, but it was very much true. "He is going to want to make Michael into everything he feels the rest of you are not. That cannot be allowed to happen. Liz would fight hard, but Edward is going to cheat. Her resources don't match his." But Jason's did.

"I've never even held a baby." Jason said looking over at the little boy who hadn't uttered a peep.

"Now is a good time to change that." Liz said giving him a smile.

Jason walked over and hesitated before holding out his hands. Nadine transferred the baby over helping correct Jason's grip some to better support Michael's head. When Jason pulled him close, the small boy simply snuggled into the large person holding him. Like he had no doubt that he was safe. "He's so light."

That made Emily laugh. "What were you expecting?"

"I'm not sure. He's so small. Are you sure he's okay?" Jason said bringing up his free hand to rub the little boy's back.

"I have his medical file." Miranda said smiling.

"Having him looked over isn't a bad idea though." Emily said swinging into doctor mode. "He should be seen by whomever you pick to be his regular pediatrician and cardiologist. I'm willing to bet Gia will do a review of his surgery for you. She can recommend a cardiologist for yearly reviews." Emily very much respected Gia as a doctor.

"Your father sees Dr. Julian." Liz told Jason, not sure that he knew. "That is who Edward sees as well."

"Monica may want to do the review." Skye pointed out.

"By law she can't." Justus let his cousin know. "Doctors cannot treat family members unless there is no other option. With three large hospitals in the city you have plenty of other options, so she can't fight you there."

"I don't want to go to General Hospital. I don't get treated there, so I wouldn't take Michael." Jason saw Dr. Maruchi, who had also once worked with his parents, but chose to leave for Mercy. "Does this change anything between us?" He asked Elizabeth.

"No." She assured him. "Can I hold him?" This close she could see parts of Carly in his face.

"Yeah." Jason said passing the little boy over. He was guessing that before they left this room everyone was going to get a chance to cuddle with Michael. "I need to call my lawyer. You'll need to speak with her." He said looking at Miranda.

"I will." The lawyer said smiling. It was already clear Michael was going to be loved.

"I sent a text to Francis." Cody had been pretty quiet because his input was not needed. "Diane is waiting to hear from you. I only said there was something in AJ's will that needed immediate attention."

"Thank you." Jason said to his friend. He wouldn't have minded if Cody went into more detail. "Would you be willing to stay?" Jason asked Nadine, because he hadn't been lying about knowing zip about children. "I'll be running a background check." He let her know, although AJ would have already done so.

"I'm willing to relocate. As you can tell by my accent I'm actually American, and it will be nice to be closer to home." Nadine said smiling. "I have my references ready for review." She had graduated from one of the most prestigious nanny programs in the world, and a background check didn't scare her.

"I'll take the references." Cody would pass them to Johnny.

"You need to call and have the penthouse baby proofed. You are also going to need furniture." Liz said as she handed the baby to Emily. "I can handle the latter if you like."

"Can I come shopping with you?" Skye asked patiently waiting her turn to hold her nephew.

"Me too." Emily said smiling at Michael. "Although I have the design sense of a rock. So mostly I'll just point at stuff and say how cute it is."

"I think us going together will be wonderful. Nadine can you come and tell us what is needed? Although Skye you probably have some clue." Liz said looking at the redhead.

"I would actually love to take notes as Nadine points items out." Skye figured this would be a good learning opportunity. Emily handed Michael over and Skye let his warmth sink into her skin.

"I'd be happy to come along." Nadine was hoping she got to stay, she really liked Michael.

"I will make an apartment in the building I own available to you. When you pass the background check it will come with the job." Jason said already trying to figure out who would be a good fit as a guard.

"While we shop I can explain how security works." Liz would help Jason out with that. Renaldo, Hank, and Chris were going to be hard to miss.

"I had a guard whenever I went out in England." Nadine said surprising Jason. "While Mr. and Mrs. Quartermaine didn't want guards for themselves, they took their son's safety very seriously."

"My security procedures will still be gone over." Jason told the nanny, who just nodded. "Once the rules are laid out they are not to be broken. To do so will result in immediate dismissal."

"Understood Mr. Morgan." Nadine responded right away.

"Jason, will be fine." He corrected. He hated to be called Mr. Morgan.

"I'll try to remember that." Nadine had been trained to not be familiar with her bosses.

Jason just nodded. He smiled as he watched his grandmother meet her great-grandson. Liz was once again holding Michael while Lila gave him kisses. Michael appeared to be enjoying it. "Now we need to go in and deal with Edward, Monica, and Alan. Elizabeth will you carry Michael in?"

"Sure." She said cradling the small child close.

Jason nodded. His choice of who they saw holding Michael was deliberate. He was about to smack them down hard, and if they were smart they would listen to the warning he was going to issue. Jason agreed with his grandmother that Edward was going to be the big problem. His parents would want access to their grandson too much to rock the boat. Edward on the other hand would want control. Something that simply wasn't going to happen. "Ms. Jameson, can I ask you to sit this out?"

"Absolutely. If Justus can contact your lawyer I can go talk to her right now." Miranda's work with Michael was done. Now the estate needed to be discussed. Everything but the company AJ owned and the house had already been put into a trust fund. The country mansion was to be sold, with the profits going into trust. As for the company, Jason already owned part of it so AJ had simply left the remaining shares to his brother. He didn't want too much fuss in that sector because he expected Michael's custody to cause a dustup. Miranda was seeing that her client knew his family well. "Ms. Chandler, I'll need to speak with you and your attorney before I leave. AJ named you his son's trustee.'"

"I'll call Diane." Justus had her number in his phone. "She represents both Jason and Skye. So you can go over everything at once." He told Miranda. Skye looked a bit stunned at that announcement.

"Thank you for bringing Michael home." Jason said shaking the lawyer's hand.

"You're welcome. I'm sorry for your loss. Both AJ and Carly were lovely people." Miranda said before following Justus from the room.

"Okay, let's go back and get this over with." Jason said getting ready for round number one.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	17. Chapter 17

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 17

The second Elizabeth walked in with Michael, Monica pounced. "You are not going to be allowed to raise my grandson."

Jason just grinned because he wasn't going to walk into the room and start by threatening people. He would however have no problem putting his mother in her place because she stepped over the line. Like she just did. "Elizabeth doesn't have custody of Michael, I do." Jason didn't raise his voice, he just simply laid out the facts.

"Oh, that's even better." Edward said laughing. "No judge will let you keep my great-grandson. Between your criminal record and brain damage we have already won."

Jason just smiled wider. His grandfather was so predictable. "What criminal record? I've never been convicted of a crime. As for my brain damage I have a world class doctor who will say that aside from a few issues I'm fine. No judge will give you custody over me, you're too old." He said laying the trap.

"Your parents are still young enough to raise a child." Edward pointed out. "Grandparents get custody of grandchildren every day in this country."

"Not if they are in jail they don't." Jason replied coldly. He had no intention of keeping his grandfather in check. He wanted Edward to run amok. What he needed to do at this very moment was neutralize his parents so they didn't get in the way later.

"What are you talking about?" Monica asked her son.

"Pierce Dorman." Jason said and watched his mother and father both blanch.

"Who is Pierce Dorman?" Emily wanted to know.

"Monica and Alan know who he is, and they know why it's best if his name doesn't come up. Especially in a court of law." Jason said looking at his parents. Dorman had an affair with Monica, and later was murdered. His killer hadn't ever been caught but the police had arrested Monica for the crime. The body disappearing was why she had to be released. Jason knew for a fact it was his father who made Dorman disappear. He also knew that Monica hadn't killed her fellow doctor, which was more than either one of them knew.

"Alan and Monica, you will both want to stay out of this situation. If you don't then by the time you get out of prison Michael will be in college. If you do behave then I'll allow you supervised visits with your grandson. Eventually." Jason said not batting an eyelash as he blackmailed his parents.

In her wheelchair Lila was fighting off a smile. While Ned simply burst out laughing before getting control of himself. He had been in Port Charles during that time period. He remembered the press coverage of the murder, and the way they hounded Monica when the affair was outed.

"You can bluster all you want, that child is going to be raised in this house." Edward said not backing down.

"Father, be quiet." Alan said looking at his son. He didn't know what his son knew exactly, but Jason didn't bluff. He would turn them over and not lose any sleep over it.

"You aren't going to let your thug son push you around are you?" Edward said incredulously. "We have to protect the family legacy. Michael, and the company AJ started, need to be kept safe from the taint of that deviant."

Lila had simply had enough. "Edward. I'm sure the IRS would love a look at the ELQ books that you keep in your home safe. The ones that show just how much money Gino Solieto laundered through ELQ when he was married to Tracy." She said making it clear she was throwing her weight behind her grandson.

Beside the wheelchair both Skye's and Emily's jaws actually dropped open.

"You would send your daughter to prison." Edward said shocked. While he was ready to go toe to toe with his grandson, his wife was another matter. Lila was scary.

"By the time the Feds are done with you Tracy can be in Brazil." Lila said with slow grin. "You look horrible in orange." Looking at her husband she knew he was going to back down for the moment. Just like she knew he was going to try something else. Jason was more than a match for his grandfather, and Lila had no problem delivering on her threat if necessary. Edward wouldn't go to jail, but he would lose his precious ELQ. "Jason please bring my great-grandson to visit often." It was time the kids left. "Before you leave Emily share your good news." While everyone was corralled this was a good time for this announcement.

Emily was in awe of her grandmother. "Matt and I are starting at Mercy in three weeks."

"Mercy?" Alan said looking between his daughter and son-in law. "You're going to work for Russell."

"Yes." Emily said trying not to laugh. Her parents were fit to be tied. The look on her Jason's face was why they weren't saying anything else. Having grown up in this house she knew that this was just the first of many rounds. Still it was nice to be on the winning team, because Jason was not going to lose. The only question was how many battles would it take to win the coming war, and what would be the casualty count when the dust settled.

"I almost wished we still lived in Port Charles." Ned said shaking his head. While Edward had managed to brow beat both he and AJ for a period of time he never got far with Jason. Even when his cousin's last name was Quartermaine, Jason never bowed down to the old man. He had decided he was going into medicine and nothing Edward could say changed that. So the coming battle was going to be epic. "Send me regular updates."

"Absolutely." Skye said to her cousin. She really liked Ned and Lois. Skye imagined she would be on the sidelines for whatever was coming. It also appeared that she was about to get a front row seat to a showing of what it meant to be a Quartermaine at times. "I'll send you pictures of Michael as well."

"That would be appreciated." Lois said smiling. "We should get going." She said getting to her feet. "Grandmother as always it's been wonderful seeing you. Monica, Alan, Edward." Lois said as she got hugs from her cousins before walking out into the foyer.

"Let me know if I need to come testify." Ned said shaking Jason's hand. "Grandmother, I love you." He said before kissing her cheek. He gave out more kisses, got a hug from Liz, and shook hands with the other guys before joining his wife.

"We should go shopping." Elizabeth said looking at Emily, Skye, and Nadine. "Does Michael have a stroller?"

"It's in the car, with the car seat. Mr. Ward drove us over." The nanny just remembered.

"Everything was transferred to Mr. Jason's car." Alice said from her position by the doorway. She was rarely far from Mrs. Lila, and was going to take her boss for a stroll around the garden after everyone left. The floor show that just took place didn't even faze the housekeeper. She had seen much worse take place in this room.

"Okay then." Liz said looking at Jason. They had a silent conversation before she handed him his nephew.

Jason handed the baby to his mother. While he would do whatever was necessary to see that AJ's wishes were carried out, Jason had no intention of keeping his parents away from Michael. As long as they behaved, and met certain benchmarks. He was also going to make sure they knew there were rewards for giving him information. The only thing Jason wasn't sure of was whether it was going to be Monica or Alan who ratted Edward out when he decided on a new course of action. They would both know what the old man set in motion, but Jason expected that only one of them would crack and turn traitor.

"I should be back at the Towers by the time you are done your shopping." Jason wanted to go pick a room for his nephew. He also figured he would make it easy for Diane to find him when her meeting with the other lawyers was done.

She took the baby back and with a smile Liz led the other ladies, and Matt, out of the parlor. Things in Port Charles just got interesting. "So what number civil war is this within the family?" She asked Emily as they walked out to where the guards were waiting.

"I've lost count at this point, but I'm pretty sure this will be the last one." Emily said with a grin.

* * *

"Jason before you leave come to my office, and I'll give you copies of the books I mentioned earlier." Lila said shooting her husband a smug look. Her grandson wouldn't use them, it was too obvious a move. She just wanted Jason to have them because it gave him a bit of breathing room at the moment. It wouldn't take him long to put together his plan.

"You copied my books." Edward should have seen that coming.

"I don't make idle threats." Lila said as her grandson took the helm of the wheelchair.

Alone in the living room Monica looked at her husband. In one move their son had turned the three allies on one another. He might have a different last name but he was still one hundred percent Quartermaine. "Behave yourself Edward." She told her father in-law.

"I don't have a choice do I." Edward said before leaving the room. He was cornered, but not out. There was a way around this and he would find it.

"He's not going to let this go." Monica told Alan.

"No he's not." Alan just shook his head. "We need to keep a close eye on Edward."

"Do you want the first shift?" Monica was not losing the chance to know her grandson.

"I think mother has that covered." Alan said before also walking out of the parlor. This was not how he saw the day going.

Alone Monica walked over to where they kept the framed pictures of the family. AJ smiled up at her from a silver frame, but nowhere among the many images was there a picture of Carly. Monica had refused to put one up, instead insisting that the blonde was a phase and AJ would marry someone more suitable. The doctor had no doubt that decision was why Carly kept their grandson away from them. Her treatment of Elizabeth hadn't been that great either, and Monica figured that was why Jason's friend kept the secret. So now she had a choice to do better, or just be on the edge of her grandson's life. It was a pretty clear choice, she wasn't going to lose her the only part of her son that was left. The only second chance she would get.

* * *

"Is he here?" Diane asked as he walked into the penthouse.

"I haven't seen Francis since I left the church." Jason told his attorney.

"Not my boy toy. The baby." She said laughing.

"No, he's out with Elizabeth. She is shopping with my sisters and the nanny for the things that Michael will need." Jason said then frowning. "I forgot to give her my credit card."

"Write her a check." Diane said wanting to be around for that fight. There was no way Liz was going to take the money. "She'll be tired when she gets back from fighting with Emily and Skye over who will pay for everything. Her resistance will be low and you can put the check in her purse. Come sit with me." Diane was still in her black suit from the funeral.

"What did AJ's lawyer say?" Jason was hoping there were no more surprises.

"Everything but the company and the estate are in trust for Michael." Diane said getting to the point. "The house is on the market. You now own all of Quartermaine International. Would you like to sell it?"

"Not yet." Jason said leaning back against the sofa. The baby proofing company had been called, the penthouse would soon be as safe as possible. "I expect that at some point Edward is going to try a takeover of the company. As far as he knows AJ was the majority stockholder with a few other minor stockholders."

"How does he not know you own almost half the company?" Diane wanted to know.

"I bought the stock through subsidiaries that I own." Jason explained. All the money he used was clean, but he felt it was best that his name not be attached to his brother's new venture.

"You are laying a trap for your grandfather." Diane commented arching a brow.

"Yes." Jason said with a feral grin. If he could maybe tie his grandfather up there then the old man might not do something else truly stupid. Edward was a world class multi-tasker so that probably wouldn't be the case. "Are there any obstacles to me adopting Michael?"

"There is one major obstacle." Diane and Justus had talked about this after Miranda left. She had been surprised at what Jason's cousin had suggested, but she saw the merit in it. She wouldn't mention it just yet, but when the time was right she was going to sell the idea hard.

"What?" Jason asked putting his feet on the table.

"You." Diane told her client. "You are Michael's guardian but in order to adopt him you have to go through the same legal channels all other prospective adoptive parents do. Which means you need to impress CPS." Her client was not a people person, so this might be hard.

"AJ wants me to have his son." Jason pointed out.

"And you will, but you won't be able to adopt him without CPS's approval. Home visits, interviews, background checks. You need to go through the whole nine yards. I'll be beside you all the way, but the heavy lifting is on you." Diane explained what was coming.

"What are my other options?" Jason wanted to know.

"Just being his guardian for the rest of his life. Which will be fine assuming no one else objects, or comes forward wanting to adopt Michael. Then you might have a problem." Diane had laughed her ass off when Justus said he suspected that Edward was going to push Monica and Alan into filing paperwork. Diane would destroy them and still have time to shoe shop later in the day.

"Carly doesn't have any living relatives. She looked." Jason wasn't sure if Diane knew that.

"What about you? Do you have any relatives that might pose a problem?" The attorney wanted to know.

"I have no idea who is in my family tree, outside of the people who live here." Jason said shrugging. "A distant relative won't have a strong case to take Michael from me."

"No they won't. It would be a big help if you didn't get arrested once you begin the adoption process." Diane said looking at him.

"I'm also going to ask Skye and Emily to be godmothers as well." Jason explained.

"Just Emily." Diane advised her client.

"Why?" Jason asked confused.

"Because Skye is in a relationship with one of your business associates. If what you allegedly do poses an issue I want viable options for guardianship. Elizabeth is one, but she's your girlfriend so the court may not rule in her favor. Emily is married to a nice safe doctor. If nothing else the court will give her temporary custody while it hears your appeal." Diane was going to have all her ducks in row. She wanted to be prepared for any circumstance. "I would be happy to explain it to your sisters if you need me to." Right now it was all about presenting the best possible image, Skye would get that. In business image was everything.

"Will Michael's medical history be a problem to me getting custody?" Jason asked his lawyer.

"No, because you will have him to see a pediatrician and a cardiologist in the next seven days." Diane looked at Jason until he nodded. "It also is going to look good that Nadine is staying. She's been Michael's nanny since before he left the hospital. That move says you are putting his needs first."

"She has to pass the background check, and I want Elizabeth's opinion after today's shopping trip. If Elizabeth doesn't like her Nadine has to go." Jason trusted Elizabeth that much.

Diane didn't say anything about that. "Okay, that's it for now. Have Bernie send me a copy of the bill from the childproofing company." She would start putting together a file. "I also want receipts from every doctor's visit." Jason was going to look good on paper, so if he bombed the first impression with CPS Diane's secret weapon would repair what damage the paperwork didn't fix. "Come by the office in a couple of days to sign paperwork taking over AJ's company. Bring the munchkin with you." Diane got to her feet.

Jason rose as well and walked his attorney to the door. He was going to be a dad, hopefully he would survive it.

* * *

"Hi." Jason said getting off of the couch when Elizabeth pushed the stroller into the penthouse. "How did shopping go?"

"Great." Liz said kicking off her heels as Jason took the baby out of the pram. "We spent an insane amount of money, but according to Nadine we are fully set up for this phase of babyhood." Elizabeth had been surprised by all the things small people needed. "She's in the hall, because I have no idea what happens now."

"Where is all the furniture you bought?" Jason wanted to know.

"It's arriving tomorrow. Renaldo called and made all the arrangements. There are some things to get us through the night out in the hall." Liz told her boyfriend. "I was planning on staying over tonight anyway, and I think we should stick to that. Michael isn't quiet sleeping through the night yet. Plus with this being somewhere new, surrounded by new people he might be fussy. Nadine believes that Michael is aware that his parents have not been around lately. Between the two of us we should be able to handle it."

"You know about kids?" They hadn't talked about this topic before.

"I babysat growing up, but it's been a while. I also never babysat anyone this young." Liz was only a little nervous. "Nadine is going to leave her cell phone on all night in case we need her. Until she is cleared she can come hang out at my place while you are at work. Johnny sent a runner for my key so my apartment could be childproofed as well. My office will need a gate because I'm guessing there are too many hazards to make it safe."

"I guess that is what is in the envelope that came for you." He said taking the small brown parcel out of his pocket. He put Michael back in the stroller since there was nowhere else for him to lay down right now. "I can do this." He said looking into Elizabeth's eyes. When she arched a brow at him he laughed. "We can do this."

"Better. As his dad you will be making the decisions, but I want you to know I'm here." Elizabeth had no intention of going anywhere. "I'll go get Nadine. She'll show us how to set up Michael's temporary bed, and walk us through bottle making so we are set for the night."

Jason nodded. "We can do this." He said to the little boy who was looking up at him from the stroller. Boy did he hope that was true.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	18. Chapter 18

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 18

"I can take this feeding if you want." Liz said when Jason walked over with the bottle, but didn't pick up Michael.

"No, its fine." He said looking down at the baby. "It's just that he's so tiny, you know." He gave his girlfriend a lopsided grin. "Wrapping your head around a human being that small takes a minute. AJ and Carly had months to get ready. I've had since this afternoon." Talk about hitting the ground running.

Liz didn't interrupt, but let Jason get it out.

"He's counting on us for everything, and I don't want to screw it up." Jason said quietly. He already loved his nephew, and he felt a sense of pride that AJ knew he could do this.

"Mistakes come with parenting, at least that's what I've read." Liz said walking over to stand beside the portable crib. "Letting Michael know he is loved is the most important thing and I have no doubt you will do that."

"We both will." Jason said putting the bottle down on the table before gently lifting the small child into his arms. Settled into the recliner he started the last meal of the evening.

After shopping Nadine had given both he and Elizabeth a crash course in baby bottle preparation. Over the next few weeks the nanny, assuming she stayed, was going to be doing a lot of these instructional sessions. On everything from baby laundry to bath time. The fact that both her pupils were taking notes had the blonde woman smiling. She assured them both that in no time this would become routine.

They started with sterilizing the bottles. Jason's dishwasher could handle that so all the necessary items were opened and put in the appliance. While it was running they had a quick lesson on how to make formula, how to store it in the refrigerator, how long it would be good for, and most importantly how to reheat it. Nadine said not to use the microwave because it could reheat unevenly, but instead unboxed a bottle warmer. It was now sitting next to the toaster. There would be one placed in Liz's apartment as well.

Once the bottles and nipples were ready the nanny explained a little about them. She only used glass bottles and after some experimentation Carly realized that Michael preferred silicone flat topped nipples on those glass bottles. He also preferred a slower flow of milk, and Nadine told them the brand that worked the best. So when it was time to replace them that needed to be kept in mind. Jason hadn't even known that there was more than one type of nipple available.

After that they talked diapers and wipes. Once again Carly had done a lot of research before picking her preferred brand. The fact that Michael hated pacifiers was covered. Since they had time while the little boy slept they started a load of laundry. While out sleepers, blankets, and sheets had been picked up in the theme Liz selected with input from Skye and Emily. Nadine didn't use the big name baby detergent the baby centers stocked. With so many scent and color free options now available Carly had opted to go with one of them. That way the whole family was using the same detergent.

Then they put together the portable crib that Michael would sleep in until his room was ready. It was going in Jason's room, and Elizabeth was taking the receiver from the monitor to her room so that she could offer backup if necessary. While Jason was busy with that the painting crew arrived and Elizabeth showed them, and Nadine, which room had been picked for the nursery. A crisp white had been selected for the walls, and tomorrow Liz was going to outline, and paint, a large mural. Emily was coming over to help, Matt was as well. Of course they would visit with the baby while in the penthouse.

When Liz and Nadine came down Georgie had been waiting. She was cooing over Michael while Jason finished up. Elizabeth's assistant had agreed to give Nadine a tour of the building as well as show her to the apartment that was waiting. Before leaving the nanny had given them one more piece of advice, probably the most important one there was. Then with a wave she followed Georgie out.

"What's your opinion on Nadine?" Jason asked as Michael continued eating.

"She's nice." Liz said tucking her legs under her body as she settled onto the couch. "She's kind of perky, which you would expect of someone who works with children. However she's not so perky that you want to suffocate her with a pillow." Liz said laughing. "Based just on this afternoon I can see why Carly picked her. Nadine seems like someone who would fit into their household well. While we were at the store a young mother was having trouble getting her son to calm down, and you could see that she was on the verge of tears from frustration. Not only did Nadine get the baby to stop fussing, but she gave the mom a few pointers about how to help the baby stay calm. It was impressive. When will her background check be completed?"

"A couple of days." Jason said checking the formula level in the bottle. "I need to check in with Johnny tomorrow." Michael finished up and Jason burped him before putting him back in the portable crib. "He shouldn't want to eat again until early tomorrow morning." Since Jason was generally up early that shouldn't be too stressful. "Come sit with me." He requested.

With a smile Liz moved from the couch to Jason's lap. As soon as she was settled his lips covered hers, and they both sank into the kiss. She was smiling when they parted. "You did great with the feeding. I am predicting that you are going to be a fantastic dad."

"I hope so. Tomorrow while Em is over I'm going to ask her to act as Michael's godmother." Jason said running his hand down his girl's back. "That isn't meant as a slight to you."

"I didn't take it such." Liz assured him. "Most children have more than one set of godparents. Are you going to ask Skye as well?"

"No. Diane suggested just Em." Jason leaned over to check on the baby who was already sleeping. "Diane is worried about how I'm going to do with Child Protective Services. If they remove Michael from my custody for any reason Diane wants a backup guardian."

"She doesn't think I can get custody?" Elizabeth asked confused.

"Diane is worried that because you are my girlfriend the court will shoot you down. Emily is married to a non-alleged mobster." Jason said with a grin.

"Ah, makes sense." Liz said nodding her head. "Em will say yes."

"I'm going to call and ask Skye to stop by tomorrow. I want to explain in person what's going on." Jason didn't want to hurt his sister in any way.

"She'll understand." Liz was positive about that. "Are you worried about CPS?"

"Honestly, a little." Jason was already feeling protective of his nephew. "I don't always do well with strangers, and my reputation isn't the best." He said with a rueful grin. "Especially with authority figures. I can only imagine what Edward will say if they interview him." Jason just shook his head. The mob boss was already starting to think of ways to improve his odds with the local agency.

"You can be charming when you try." Liz let him know.

"I've been told first impressions are not my strong suit." Jason replied before brushing his lips over hers. Kissing her was one of life's great pleasures.

"We did okay when Carly introduced us." Liz pointed out.

"What did you think of me? I said maybe five words all afternoon." Jason said pulling up a memory. They had met at one of Lila's garden parties. Carly brought Liz so she would have someone to hang out with. Emily was out of town and Skye hadn't yet joined the family.

"I thought you were hot." Liz said laughing when Jason blushed. "Really hot." The artist emphasized. "You had a very nice handshake. Firm, but not painful. Lots of guys crush my hands." She thought back to the afternoon. "You were quiet, but not standoffish. I got the impression that you didn't really want to be there, but since you were you would make the best of it. Later I learned there wasn't anything you wouldn't do for your grandmother, which is why you were in attendance. You also came off as confident, but not arrogant. Like you were a man who knew what he was about. I watched you off and on and you didn't socialize. Which at events like that is odd."

"You got a lot from that first meeting." Jason said impressed. Being aware of her surroundings and who was in them was something Elizabeth was very good at. He learned almost a year later that it was because of what Sarah went through.

"You made an impression." She said leaning forward for another kiss.

"I spent the better part of the afternoon watching you after we were introduced." Jason admitted with a slow smile.

"Really?" Elizabeth asked laughing. During her quick peeks at him she never caught him looking at her. In fact if asked she would have said he forgot about her quickly after being introduced. "What did you think? Or do I not want to know."

"My first thought was how did I not know that you lived in my building." Jason said laughing at himself.

"I spent a lot of time in my apartment." Liz answer that question. "I hadn't yet mastered the art of taking a break and going for a walk to stretch my legs. During those days I went to the balcony to rest. So unless we were in the gym at the same time bumping into one another wasn't going to happen."

"Carly explained that about a week later." Jason had found a way to casually bring up Elizabeth during dinner with his brother and the blonde woman. "I also liked how you looked in your dress. It was a very pale grey, almost white, and had a floral pattern on it. You had on dark blue low heels, and gold roses in your ears."

"Wow." Liz said blown away. "You remember all that?"

"Yeah." Jason had been instantly drawn to her, but didn't want to admit it. "Do you still have the dress?"

"I actually never owned it. After Carly said she put my name on the guest list, I called Brenda in a panic because I had no idea what to wear. She overnighted the dress from California and told me what color shoes the designer recommended I pick up." Liz confessed still blushing. "The day after the party I had the dress dry cleaned and then I shipped it back."

Jason was going to see if his grandmother had a picture of Elizabeth in that dress, and if so he would use that image to track the dress down. Even if she never wore it again, he wanted her to have it. "What are the small brown spots on the blanket?" He would switch topics so that his girl stopped blushing. Michael was wrapped up so he stayed warm. Earlier in the evening he had asked her if the penthouse was too cold, just wanting to check.

"Winnie the Pooh." Elizabeth guessed Jason had no idea who that was. "According to Nadine the only things coming over from England are personal items. The furniture is being listed as part of the estate." Liz was looking forward to seeing any pictures her friends had taken. Especially any that showed Carly when she was pregnant. Some would be put out, but the rest would be stored so when Michael was older he could get to know his parents. "So we started from scratch at the baby center. Nadine said that the original nursery theme was Paddington Bear. We couldn't find that but we found Pooh. I got to pick which Pooh we used."

"There is more than one." Jason would need to look the bear up.

Liz nodded as she reached over and adjusted Michael's blanket. "There are multiple ways you can have Pooh and his friends decorate your room. I went with the modern version because I think Skye is considering the classic images. If you don't like what I picked say so and I'll go back to the store."

"What you picked is going to be great." Jason wasn't going to change a thing. "I'm looking forward to seeing the room put together, and having you explain the mural to me."

"I'll have it done as soon as I can, so that Michael can move into his room." Liz let Jason know. "Georgie is going to come over tomorrow as well. The more folks we have helping the quicker this will go. I should send a message to Gia and see if she is off."

"I can have a crew come over. They will do whatever you tell them to. However you don't need to rush. I'm planning on having Michael in my room for the first week. Just so we can start getting used to one another." Jason explained the plan. "I don't want him to be in his room and scared because of all the changes."

"You are handling the changes well." Liz told him what she saw.

"I'm trying to keep in mind what Nadine said. That my staying relaxed will help Michael settle in faster. I'm also hoping that things with my family don't get too ugly. Not only do I not want Michael hurt, but I don't want my grandmother hurt either. Edward being stupid may do just that." Jason said looking into Elizabeth's blue eyes. Just being around her was helping him to stay calm.

"You don't think your parents will be able to help?" She wanted more information on what Jason was expecting to happen.

"Honestly, no." Jason shook his head for emphasis. "My grandfather can be ruthless. Ned has shared a lot about just how AJ got to the place he was in for so much of his life. Alan and Monica did their share of damage, but it was Edward who inflicted the most pain. No child should ever be made to feel like they have to do certain things to be loved. AJ was set up to fail from the start, and our parents didn't give him the tools or support or protection he needed."

"Why do you think you and Ned were so well adjusted? I heard Dillon didn't buy into the ELQ hype either." Liz hadn't known Jason's youngest cousin.

"Based on what my grandmother said it was because Ned, Dillon, and I all went to boarding school." He said with a shrug. "We got out of the toxic environment that the mansion creates. AJ and Emily stayed home to go to school and both almost lost their lives to addiction. Apparently I actually asked to go to boarding school. Which my parents were not too happy about."

"Have you figured out how much access Alan and Monica will be allowed to have to Michael?" Liz wanted to know.

"Not yet. In the coming weeks we'll work that out. Right now I just want to get him settled into his new home. I also want to talk to Nadine about maybe taking a trip. If she thinks it won't be disruptive I want to take a week or so to just not deal with Port Charles." Jason needed some space. "Will you come with us?"

"I'd love to. In fact I know the perfect getaway location." She said smiling. "I can finally show you my house in Malibu."

"Why did you buy a house there?" Jason had been curious about that for a while now.

"Originally my stay in Port Charles was supposed to be temporary. I came here to go to school. I wanted to be far away from everyone I knew. I figured with some space I would finally have the chance to process what happened to Sarah. Before that I couldn't because of the turmoil between my brother and parents. I was trapped in their anger and grief. I first left home at sixteen, with my parents' permission. I stayed with Brenda and went to high school in Beverly Hills. I knew it wouldn't work long term, but for right then it was great. I never intended to stay in California for college, I did plan on returning to live there." Liz explained. "Brenda wanted me in Beverly Hills, but it's not my kind of city. During a day trip while I was out visiting her I drove down to Malibu. The ocean views were too much to pass up. So I bought a house. I was actually planning my move to the west coast when I met Carly."

"Her timing was great." Jason had no idea how close he came to never meeting Elizabeth. That was followed by sadness that he would never get to thank Carly for the part she played in bringing them together.

"Yes, it was." Liz said putting her head on Jason's shoulder. "I need to go downstairs and grab my overnight bag. Will you two be okay on your own for a few moments? No wild parties are going to break out are they?" She asked laughing.

"I don't know. He looks like a troublemaker." Jason said pointing to the sleeping baby. "I wonder if the red hair comes from Carly's side of the family."

"Red is a recessive trait of blonde, so it could come from either side of the family tree." Liz thought Michael was adorable. "Do you think we should look again for more relatives?"

"Let me think on that." Jason said placing a hand on his nephew's chest. "I may wait until the adoption is over." He didn't want to deal with any possible problems from that sector. The fight to adopt the baby might be hard enough if Diane was correct. "AJ paid a second private investigator to do another search after the one Carly hired got nowhere. He never said anything because the outcome was the same."

"She was crushed when the guy she hired couldn't find anyone." Liz remembered Carly coming over to the apartment and crying until AJ came to get her. "If your brother did a second search then there is no point in us doing a third. He would have been very thorough."

"Go get your stuff. When you come back up we'll have dinner." Jason was looking forward to that.

"Okay." Liz gave him another kiss and forced herself off his lap.

He walked her to the door before picking up the bottle from the table. "I'm going to go rinse this out, and then I'll be right back." He told the sleeping child before heading into the kitchen.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	19. Chapter 19

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 19

"It was two am, and she was wide awake. The changes that the day brought were pinging around in her head. Of course most of her thoughts centered on the newest addition to their lives. Michael was a beautiful baby and watching him grow was going to be wonderful, but at the same time heartbreaking. Carly and AJ should be here with their little boy, but since they weren't everyone would do their best to fill Michael's life with love.

Elizabeth was happy that she got to be his godmother, she was also happy that nothing between her and Jason was going to change. Or at least not much. Him being a dad would have an impact on their new relationship, but Liz fully expected that impact to be positive.

Rolling over she got out of bed. Going back to sleep wasn't going to happen. She knew herself well enough to understand that. If she was downstairs then she would head over to her studio. The issue she was working on was almost completed. This had to be a personal record in terms of time. It was one she never hoped to break. Working that many hours wasn't very healthy, but it had kept her sane.

Walking into the closet she grabbed the smaller of the two bags she had carried up this evening. She made sure to grab the receiver to the baby monitor. Quietly she opened the door to her room and went over to the nursery. She closed the door behind her before flipping the light switch. The white walls greeted her, and in the corner was the stepladder she asked the crew to leave behind. Taking a deep breath she closed her eyes and envisioned what she wanted the room to look like when it was done. Ready she put down her satchel that contained her pencils and unzipped it. Selecting a drawing implement she walked over the first wall and started sketching.

* * *

Jason was a very light sleeper so when Michael started making noise the mob boss woke up. "Hey." He said leaning over the side of the bed and smiling at the little boy who was stretching in his portable crib. "You hungry?" A look at the clock showed it was right around when Nadine said Michael would be ready to eat breakfast. At home AJ took this feeding, but since his passing the nanny had been doing it. Now it was Jason's turn.

"Hang on a second." He made a quick trip to the bathroom before coming back to get the baby. "Okay lets head downstairs. I need to grab the carrier." He was using the car seat carrier to take Michael up and down the stairs. Once he got used to walking around with the little boy in his arms that would stop. "I'm going to make myself some coffee." He said as they went into the kitchen. "For you I'm going to heat up a bottle." Grabbing one from the refrigerator he put it in the warmer, consulted his notes, and set the timer.

He sipped his coffee and watched Michael make sucking noises as he got impatient for his breakfast. "I'll start earlier tomorrow." Jason promised as the timer dinged. He gave the formula a shake to make sure it was thoroughly mixed. "Let's go sit down." Back in the recliner breakfast was served. "I need to get another hand. I can't drink my coffee." In fact the mug was still in the kitchen. "You will come to learn that I drink a lot of coffee. I also import it. What else should you know about me? I mean I didn't really introduce myself yesterday."

"I'm Jason. Your dad's younger brother." He explained looking into the big blue eyes of the hungry child. "Which makes me your uncle. Normally it would make me your uncle. Something happened to your mom and dad, and they aren't here anymore. So now I'm going to be your dad. Do you understand any of this?" He asked not expecting an answer. "We'll talk about this again when you are older." He checked the level of formula seeing the bottle was almost done.

"Later this morning we are going to hang out with Elizabeth. You spent yesterday with her, and if you don't yet you are going to love her. She's the absolute best person you could have in your life. She's going to take care of you, because that's what she does. She makes the people in her life feel cared for. You just can't help but feel great when Elizabeth is around." He explained to Michael. "All done?" He put the bottle on the arm of the chair so he could burp the baby.

"Time for a clean diaper." Jason said as he put the baby back in the carrier. At the top of the steps he saw a light under the door of the nursery and wondered what that was about. After he changed the baby he would go find out.

In his room he grabbed a towel, and everything else that was needed. "Don't worry we do have furniture for you." Jason explained as he spread the towel on the comforter. "All of it arrives today. Tonight there will be a changing table set up." He had changed his first diaper yesterday and he was still a little slow. The dirty diaper was removed and Michael was wiped down. It was getting the new diaper open that Jason needed to work on. "All set." He said as a stream of urine landed on his chest.

On the bed Michael just looked up at him.

Jason shook his head as he grabbed more wipes and then put the new diaper on. "I guess that's your way of saying I need to get faster at that." With the baby secure in the carrier the comforter was checked. It was dry so Jason just tossed the damp towel into the hamper. His shirt quickly followed as more wipes were employed. "I need a new shirt, but first I'll put you back in your crib."

* * *

By the time Jason had a new shirt on Michael had drifted back to sleep. The second receiver on the monitor was removed and he went to check out the nursery. Opening the door he had to grin at the sight of Elizabeth on the stepladder sketching. Not wanting to startle her he waited a few minutes until she was back on the floor. "How long have you been up?" He asked announcing his presence.

"That depends on what time it is." Liz answered as she took a step back to look at what she had just drawn. So far it was coming out just like she envisioned.

"Quarter of five." Jason said coming into the room.

"Almost three hours." Liz said looking over at him. "I woke up and then couldn't turn my brain off. Since I was up I figured I should be productive. Why do you need to move faster?" At his confused look she pointed to the receiver on the floor.

"Getting a new diaper on Michael. I took the first one off and was moving too slow." Jason said sheepishly.

"He peed on you." Liz said starting to laugh.

"He's got good aim. He hit me right in the center of the chest. Hopefully that will help when he's older." Jason said laughing as well. "Nadine left that out yesterday when she was watching me change him."

"Maybe she thought you knew." Liz said laughing a little harder.

"No." Jason said shaking his head. "The wipes were cold." He couldn't feel it but the goosebumps that formed told him that.

"I got a wipe warmer at the store yesterday. Emily suggested it because the antibacterial wipes that are in hospital labs are always cold." Liz said moving the stepladder to the next area she planned on working on. The mural was almost completely drawn on the walls, and she would need to resist the urge to open one of the cans of paint the crew had left.

"Thank you." Jason was glad that Elizabeth was getting along so well with Emily. That she was didn't surprise him. He watched her climb the ladder and enjoyed the way she looked in her pajamas. This was the first time he was seeing her in sleepwear. What he noticed was that she felt comfortable enough around him to not be embarrassed. "Is there anything I can do to help?" Michael didn't need him right now.

"No, I'm actually almost done." Liz said looking over her shoulder and smiling. She'd never seen him in sweatpants before. His hair was also messy from sleep. He looked younger somehow, but still really sexy. What had her ready to fan herself was that he apparently slept in sleeveless shirts. With him standing there arms crossed over his chest his biceps were on display. The urge to go give one a squeeze was hard to resist. "The only thing going on this wall is Michael's name." She let him know before quickly sketching out the first three letters in block form. A move of the ladder was needed to do the rest but in under ten minutes the entire name was done.

"Thank you for putting so much work into the room." Jason wanted her to know it was appreciated.

"I want him to be happy. I love him already." She said with a small smile.

Jason was nodding. "I guess love at first sight really is a thing." He said looking into Elizabeth's eyes.

"I guess so." Liz said feeling the air between them become charged. There hadn't been much time for them in the last couple of days. If they went to Malibu, and she was hoping they could, even with Michael along there would be time for just them.

"It's early still, you have time to get some sleep. With this finished maybe your brain will let you rest." Jason suggested, with everyone coming over to help paint he didn't want her tired.

"Can I peek in on Michael before I go lie down?" Elizabeth wanted to know. Last night she had sat on the bed while Jason read a chapter from one of his travel guides. She would need to go shopping to put together a library for the baby.

"I have a better idea." Jason said taking her hand in his. He led her back to his room pulling the cover on the bed back. "Lie down."

She didn't hesitate scooting over until she was next to the crib. "He looks so peaceful." She said in a soft voice.

"He hardly made a sound last night." Jason had woke up a few times to check that the baby was okay.

"I know. I actually checked the monitor once to make sure it was working." Liz admitted lying down. Reaching behind her she urged Jason closer.

He managed to hold in a groan as she snuggled up. He turned his face into the cool strands of her hair and let her scent surround him. Having her in his arms just felt so right. Like they were made for this. "Get some rest."

"Okay." Liz said sighing in pleasure. This right here was as close to heaven as she had ever been. Hopefully she could experience this again soon.

* * *

"I'm here. Give me the baby." Emily said as she walked through the door.

"You could pretend you are here to see me." Jason told his younger sister.

"That would waste time I could be holding my nephew." Emily pointed out as she smiled at the baby who was in his swing sleeping.

"The sooner she gets to hold him the sooner I can hold him." Skye had come over for a visit as well since Jason asked her to. "Where is Elizabeth?"

"Downstairs. She'll be back shortly." Jason said unsnapping the belt and lifting Michael. "She wanted to get some work in." Em was in the recliner and he put the baby in her arms. "Since you are both here, and it's just us I need to talk with you guys."

"Is everything okay?" Skye asked looking at him.

"Yeah. Diane came over yesterday to get me prepped to deal with CPS." He started explaining. "I am planning on filing adoption paperwork as soon as possible so that means I need to go through the process involved with that. Emily I'd like to name you as Michael's godmother in the paperwork."

"Of course. I'd be thrilled to his godmother." Emily said rocking the baby slightly.

"Skye." Jason said pausing to put his words together.

"You don't have to ask me Jason." Skye didn't want him to feel any pressure.

"I intend to ask you, I just can't do it until the adoption is final." Jason had decided that after Diane left.

"Why can't you ask her now?" Emily asked confused.

"Because of Cody." Skye said grinning. "I was adopted as a baby. When I was older I remember hearing the adults around me talking. Image is important. Jason's reputation is going to be working against him, and I'm involved with one of his guys. I don't need to be a godmother. I know that you and AJ don't see me as less than Emily. I was named as the trustee of Michael's trust fund, which means I really shouldn't be his godmother." She looked at it from that perspective. "I still get to be his aunt, which is more important."

"You made that really easy on me. Thanks." Jason didn't want to hurt her.

"You're welcome." Skye had grown up an only child, so to have siblings was a blessing. Now she had a nephew to love. Moving here had been painful at times but in the end it had been so worth it. "I want you to know I'm happy to watch him if you need it."

"Me too. Although if Nadine stays you won't need us for that." Emily stood up so Skye could sit in the recliner and handed a still sleeping Michael over.

"You can still spend time with him, even if Nadine stays." Jason let them know. "He'll need all the family he can get."

"Including mom and dad?" Emily wanted to know.

"I'm working on it. It would be best if the two of you sat on the sidelines for that. Elizabeth and I will fight that battle." Jason figured at some point his parents would realize that they needed to apologize to his girlfriend. With her role in Michael's life secure, but theirs not they would want to make peace. Elizabeth was going to agree to make things easier for him, even though he didn't expect her to.

Emily had to smile at what her brother said. It was clear that he and Liz were united in caring for Michael. Jason was stepping in to the father role and even though no one has said it Liz was taking on the maternal role. They were starting to form a family. "I can do that. I'm not even sure mom and dad are going to be talking to me."

"They will get over it." Skye predicted, especially when they saw that Emily wasn't going to change her mind about where she was working. "When are you guys going back to Baltimore?"

"Tonight." Emily knew that the next two weeks were going to crawl by. "Send me a picture everyday so I don't forget what Michael looks like."

"I don't think much is going to change in two weeks." Jason told his sister.

"You never know." Emily said smiling as the door opened. "Hey."

"Hey." Liz walked over and looked over Skye's shoulder. "How is everyone?"

"Great. I'm excited to do some painting. Matt will be here shortly." Emily had been picked up by Skye.

"I can help too." Skye said getting up so Liz could take the baby. She wondered if Michael would use any of the furniture they picked out. She also figured her little one was going to spend a lot of time being held.

"Sorry Skye, but no pregnant ladies and paint." Liz told her friend. "You are going to have to stay downstairs and suffer through holding the baby."

"Well, if I have to." The redhead said laughing. "It will be nice to not have to fight everyone else off."

The door opened again and Gia walked in. She looked at the baby. "He's cute. Diane faxed his file over yesterday." The surgeon had been stunned to hear that Jason was an uncle.

"We don't have to talk about that now. It's your day off." Although he was anxious to hear her opinion.

"It's not a problem. I'm guessing you are worried he's not healthy. That all of you are worried." Gia looked at her friends. "He had a brilliant surgeon, and the type of procedure he underwent isn't as uncommon as it used to be. The doctors saw everything post op that they needed to, otherwise Michael would still be in England." Everyone was listening. "He's in perfect health according to the scans he had just before flying over. Barring anything unforeseen happening, that shouldn't change. I made an appointment for you to see Dr. Adair. She's a pediatric cardiologist. One of the best in the country. I also requested that Dr. Lambert sit in on that appointment. Another great doctor. They can both examine Michael at the same time."

"I've read some published papers by Dr. Adair. She's brilliant." Emily told her brother. "Dr. Lambert is amazing as well. You have a strong team of doctors."

Jason relaxed some with Gia's announcement. Now hopefully the other doctors would agree with her. He looked at Elizabeth who gave him a wide smile. She had been worried as well.

"I hear you and your husband are coming onboard." Gia figured Alan and Monica were fit to be tied. The exodus from General Hospital was still going on. Nepotism was ruining a great hospital.

"I'm excited to be doing cutting edge research in my home town." Emily said to her new coworker.

"I'm looking forward to working with you." Gia said smiling. Their specialties didn't overlap so that working together would be in the broader sense. "I'm also looking forward to painting."

"That's my cue to give the baby to Skye." Liz said standing up. "Please send Georgie up when she arrives."

"I can do that." Jason would enjoy the visit with his sister. "Have fun."

"You know it." Liz said dropping him a wink before heading for the stairs.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	20. Chapter 20

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 20

"What is that smirk for?" Liz asked looking over at Emily.

"I was just thinking that I wish Mrs. Montgomery could see me now. She was my fifth grade art teacher. I failed her class." Emily said smiling wider. "Clearly I've come a long way as this tree is gorgeous."

"The ego is strong is that one." Matt said laughing at his wife. He and Cody were doing the ceiling. In other words they were painting the sky. Matt walked in the room and stated that he wanted something impossible to mess up. Cody simply said ditto.

"Please we both know that you are the egomaniac in this relationship." She said messing with her husband.

"He's a surgeon." Gia chimed in. "We can't help it." She was working on a house. She wasn't sure which character it belonged to though. It was more detailed than the sky, but not as detailed as the work Liz, Georgie, and the crew were doing. "Georgie you are doing a great job." She liked Milo's girlfriend, and they sometimes hung out together when Gia's schedule allowed. She really liked that none of the ladies were divas, they all got along and supported each other.

"Thanks. I really liked painting and coloring. I went out and got some of those adult coloring books so that I can use them at home." Mainly the books were to keep her in the practice of coloring so she didn't mess up Liz's work.

"Those are great." Emily said picking up more paint. "I did a study last year on how coloring reduces stress. I was amazed at the results." Speaking of her work she realized she had no idea what Liz did for a living. Emily had heard her brother say that the petite brunette was working a few times this week, but he never said what she did. "Are you an artist?" She asked Liz. "Because if you aren't I would like to say you are wasting some serious talent. This room is incredible."

"Why don't we break for lunch?" Gia said putting down her brush.

Emily suddenly got the impression she had asked something she shouldn't have. Looking over Georgie gave her a smile, but the younger woman was laughing some as well. Emily looked back at Liz who was coming down the ladder and wondered if the other woman worked for her brother. Which would not be something to judge her on. "You don't have to answer that if you don't want to."

"It's fine." Liz said with a smile to set Emily at ease. "What I do is kind of an open secret among some of the guys who work for Jason." His top guys all knew as did some of the senior guys. "The painting crew doesn't know, and I'd like to keep it that way." She explained after Georgie closed the door. All the bedrooms were soundproofed so eavesdropping wasn't a concern. "Have you ever heard of the graphic novel series Legion?"

"Yeah, I don't read it but Matt is a huge fan." Emily said looking over at her husband. The main character of the story was a healer who was among the last of her race. Most of her family had been slaughtered to prevent a prophecy from coming true. Only she and her sister were smuggled out of the village the night of the attack and hidden. Matt had mentioned that the healer had just learned of the prophecy in the last issue. Emily wasn't a fantasy fan so the ongoing story wasn't that interesting to her. She did however enjoy looking at the issues that were in color. The covers of each edition were also very eye catching.

"I write and illustrate it." Liz told her two new friends. She wasn't worried they would run out and tell someone. "I try to keep that under wraps because I don't want a lot of people camped out on my doorstep." Some fans of the series were a bit over the top in their enthusiasm.

"No way. I thought M.O. Gene was a guy." Matt said standing there wide eyed. "I read online last week he lives is Utah, and rarely leaves his house in the woods."

"Sorry to burst that bubble." Liz said grinning.

"You're famous." Emily said grinning. "And I'm guessing rich. I only bring that up because now I cannot wait until grandfather calls you a gold digger."

"I'm kind of waiting for that too, because he doesn't know. Neither do your parents." Liz had been the one to say she didn't want the Quartermaines in the loop. Jason had of course respected that. "Although your grandmother and Skye do."

"I won't say anything. Neither will Matt." Emily promised and looked at her hubby.

"Of course not. It's just that, I think I'm a little star struck. There is a real danger of me going fanboy at some point." Matt said with a boyish grin on his face. "I binge read each issue when it comes out. I'll try not to stare in awe, too often." He said cracking himself up.

"Thank you." Liz said laughing too.

"She doesn't give out spoilers." Cody said from where he was leaning against a stepladder. "Believe me when I say we've all tried at one point. Bribes don't work either."

Liz just grinned. "Cody is just joking. No on asks for spoilers, he's right about the bribes though."

"Thank you for trusting us with your secret, you didn't have to." Emily was going to be worthy of that trust.

"I don't like keeping things from those closest to me. Like I said earlier it's just so that people don't track me down." Liz said shrugging. An obsessed fan was the last thing she wanted to deal with. "It's never happened, nor do I want it to." Although in this day of so many folks able to hack sites she wondered just how long the secret would remain just that.

Jason opened the nursery door and looked inside. "Is everything okay?" When the crew came down he expected everyone else to follow. Since they didn't he came up to find out why.

"It's good." Liz assured him. "We are ready for lunch."

"Everything is downstairs. I ordered in. Cold cuts for sandwiches, and Skye picked out some sides. Johnny is here and he brought an assortment of beverages. Francis and Diane are heading over as well." Jason thought the amount of socializing he did was about to triple.

"Cool." Emily said putting down her brush as well. "I need to clean up." She said heading for the attached bathroom.

Everyone else was in agreement and spread out. Liz opted to use Jason's bathroom and wasn't surprised when he followed her across the hall. "Emily asked what I did for a living." She explained looking at him in the mirror. "I was explaining why I keep what I do close to the vest."

"Matt must have been thrilled." Jason leaned against the doorjamb. "For his last birthday I got him a mint condition first volume, first issue of Legion. I think he might have loved me more than Em at that moment."

"I could have given you one." Liz didn't expect the guys to buy the issues when they came out. She received four copies of every graphic novels. She kept one. It was sealed and put away for safe keeping. The other three she handed to the guys and they passed it around until everyone had read it. The only exception was the first issue. She had kept all four of those issues. Jason could have had one for his brother in-law.

"I bought it at a charity auction." Jason said coming over and dropping a kiss onto the back of her neck. Her hair was up and that pale skin was too tempting. "So the money went to a good cause."

"Okay." She said turning in his arms. With him this close it would be ashamed to not steal a kiss. She pulled his head down so his lips could meet hers. She opened to him and he took her unspoken invitation. Fisting her fingers in his hair she kept him still as she sucked and then nibbled on his lower lip. "You are amazing at that."

"I'm trying to keep up with you." He said wrapping her up in a tight hug. "We should get downstairs."

"Yeah. I'd like to see if I can hold Michael before our break is over. We are almost done painting." Liz said enjoying being held. "The crew is really good."

Jason just nodded before stepping back. By the time they got downstairs his body should be under control again. "I didn't want you to have to do all the work alone. I know you are finished the main panels for the issue you are working on, and now you need to go back to make corrections or changes." He linked their fingers as they headed to the stairs. "How about the week after next we go to Malibu? If you are finished."

"That will be great. I'll call and have the house cleaned. Let me know who is coming with us and I'll have bedrooms set up." Liz said smiling up at him.

"I'll know after I talk to Johnny next week." He said as they reached the main floor. All around the room their friends were eating and talking. Michael was sleeping peacefully, since he was Jason took Liz over to the buffet so they could eat too.

* * *

Renaldo was sitting at a table on the rooftop deck of the Towers waiting for Nadine to join him. Johnny had asked him to go over the security procedures with the nanny. As well as check in to see how she was settling in. Her personal items would be here next week, so they just wanted to make sure she didn't need anything in the meantime.

He was in jeans and a polo shirt since technically he was off duty. It had taken him almost thirty minutes to get dressed because he wanted to look good. He could admit to a certain amount of vanity. He was attractive, and he liked nice clothing. That didn't always mean suits, he just liked well-made garments.

What had him stressing today though was the woman he was meeting with. Nadine was beautiful. He had spent way too much time watching her when they were out shopping yesterday. There were two other guards on that trip, but being distracted left Liz vulnerable. She couldn't get hurt because he was nursing a crush.

It had come on very fast. When Nadine walked out of the mansion he had instantly stood up straighter. He also looked at the guys with him to see if they were also paying attention to her. Aside from wondering just who she was, and who the baby was, they didn't give any obvious signs of interest. But he wouldn't be the only guy to notice, she was too pretty for that.

The door to the deck opened and Nadine stepped out. Today she was also in blue jeans and nice blouse so he was guessing the blue she had on yesterday was her uniform. He told himself to get it together as he stood up, for all he knew she could have a guy back in England who would be joining her at a later date. "Hello."

"Hi." Nadine said looking around the green space. "This is lovely. Can anyone in the building use it?" Spending time up here would be a joy.

"Absolutely." He said sitting after she did. She wasn't wearing makeup, and this close he could see that her skin was flawless. She had rosy cheeks that brought to mind the words girl next door. "Just like the gym and the pool, access to the deck comes with the unit. The hours are on the wall next to the door when you come up the steps."

"I'll make a note of them." Nadine said taking a sip of the water she had with her. She had noticed him yesterday while they were out. "Renaldo, correct?"

"Yes." He said telling himself to get it together. "Sorry. I should have introduced myself again. You met a lot of people yesterday."

"That I did." Nadine said smiling. "I'm pretty good with names though."

"How are you settling in? Do you need anything?" He would start there.

"I'm good thank you. I gave a grocery list to the young man who stopped by last night, and not even an hour later my refrigerator was full." She said laughing. "At some point I will need someone to show me where the supermarket, and pretty much everything else, is located."

"If I'm around I'd be happy to play tour guide." Renaldo quickly offered.

"Thanks." Nadine was trying not to blush. "So we need to go over security?"

"We do." Renaldo said nodding. "I was told you had guards before."

"Yes, back in England." Nadine let him know. "I never left the house without my security detail. Usually it was just one guard. Any trips out had to be submitted twenty-four hours in advance. When we were out both Michael and I had to stay within sight of our guard at all times. And no talking to the press, at all." She said going down the list. "I hadn't been on the job for very long. Just over a month and a half. We didn't make many trips out of the house during that time." Carly had wanted her son close to home so she could keep an eye on him, which wasn't surprising. After the living with the fear that he would die before, or shortly after, birth she hadn't fully relaxed once he came home.

"That is a lot like we do things here." Renaldo was impressed with what he was hearing. Sounds like Jason's brother took his son's security seriously. He wondered if his boss gave AJ some advice. "You'll have two guards. One assigned to Michael and one assigned to you."

"Really?" She was surprised to hear that, but it wasn't a problem. "I can work with that." When Miranda called to say Michael was going to live with his uncle Nadine had looked Jason Morgan up. She knew what he did, and what he allegedly did. She only cared that Michael was treated with love and respect.

"Can you drive?" Johnny wanted to know that.

"On both sides of the road." She said joking. "The Quartermaines had Range Rovers. If it's good enough for the royals, why not." This meeting had her nervous but talking to Renaldo was relaxing. "The SUV shouldn't be a problem."

"One of the guys will drive when you go out." He told her how it would work. Her smile was dazzling. "But if an emergency occurs it's good to know you can handle the car."

"Them driving is for the best, as I don't know my way around yet." Nadine said sipping more water.

"Your security is going to be a work in progress. Any changes you will be informed of." Renaldo hoped she stayed. "Any problems you can tell either Kyle, Cody, or Jason. If you can't find one of them you are welcome to tell me or Marco."

"I follow orders well, so changes won't be a problem." Nadine let him know. "Right now you are the only one of the guards on that list I know. So, I'll probably contact you."

He liked hearing that, it wouldn't stay that way but he was hoping meeting her first gave him an advantage. "I think that's all for now." He was trying to think of a way to make the meeting longer.

"Okay." Nadine didn't really want to leave. She would no doubt meet a lot of people in next few weeks, but she had a feeling that Renaldo was going to linger in her memory. Because yeah he had made an impression. "I guess I'll go back downstairs then. Is there a bookstore or library in the area?" She had cable, but she wanted something to read on the balcony.

"What do you like to read?" He asked her.

"I'm a really big horror fan." She said laughing. "I love a story that makes you sleep with a light on."

"I have a complete Stephen King collection downstairs. You are welcome to borrow anything you like." Renaldo said smiling wider.

"I think a reread of It will help pass the time." Nadine wasn't flirting but it was a near thing. Hopefully he would not be on her security detail. "I don't have anything to do until later tonight when I have to go up to Mr. Morgan's penthouse."

"He hates to be called Mr. Morgan." Renaldo said giving Nadine an assist. "I'll walk you down to your apartment and then go grab the book."

"It's kneejerk. I'll get used to using his first name." She explained as she stood up and he pulled her chair back. With her needing to return his book she was guaranteed to see him again.

* * *

With lunch done everyone was heading back upstairs when Liz's phone rang. "Hello."

"Hi." Steven was back in his rundown motel room.

"Hi!" Liz said indicating that everyone should go on up. "Steven." She told Jason covering the receiver. When her boyfriend smiled at her she knew he was relieved on her behalf that her brother was calling. "How are you?"

"Good. Tired." He said starting to spin his tale. "I've been working a lot. We were short-handed for a while, so I took the opportunity to get some overtime. A higher balance in the bank is nice."

"I wasn't too worried. I figured it was something like that." Liz said leaning against the back of the couch. "Are you going to get a day off soon?" She didn't want him working himself into exhaustion.

"Actually I'm going on vacation next week. That's why I wanted to call you." He said making sure to keep his voice level. "I have bunch of time off stockpiled and I need to use it. I'm going to be gone for about ten days."

"Really?" Liz was surprised to hear that. "You could have come here. I would have loved hosting you."

"I know." Steven said clearing his throat. The fact that he wanted to cry was surprising. He hated lying to his sister. "One of the guys who is an orderly at the hospital is from Chile. He is going home to see his family and said I could tag alone. Somewhere new to see with no hotel bill was too good to pass up." He didn't want her looking for him in Mexico. The wrong parts were not safe for American women traveling alone.

"That's fantastic." Liz liked hearing that. She liked knowing he had friends, and life outside of work.

"I'll find some time to come visit you before the year is out." He said lying. "We going are leaving at the end of the week. So I might not be around much in the next few days as I get ready for the trip."

"Understandable." Liz said nodding. "I'm happy for you. Kentucky has really worked out for you."

"Yeah, it has. I'll call you when I get back." Steven said knowing that call wasn't ever going to come. "We'll arrange that visit then."

"That is a plan." Liz said smiling. "Have fun on your trip." He sounded tired so she would let him go rest. "I love you."

"I love you too." Steven said ending the call. It was a small measure of relief that those were the last words he would say to her.

"Feel better?" Jason asked his smiling girlfriend.

"Yup. Steven can take care of himself, I know that. I just like touching base. I don't want us to drift apart." She wasn't losing anyone else. "Now I need to go up and finish the nursery. See you in a few hours. You too Michael." She leaned over and kissed the baby who was in Jason's arms. Feeling much lighter she headed upstairs.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	21. Chapter 21

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 21

"Wow, this room is amazing." Nadine said walking around the nursery. The furniture was all in place, including a large comfortable looking recliner. "Michael will be happy here." The mural was going to need a closer inspection, but it really was breathtaking on the first look. "Who drew the mural?"

"I did." Liz said looking around the space as well. She was pleased with how it turned out. The crib was the focal point of the room, but there was a matching armoire on one wall, with a dresser next to it. A low bookshelf was on another wall and she had found a wonderful flower mirror that was worked into the artwork. There was even a Winnie the Pooh chair for when Michael was a little older.

"That is the biggest stuffed dog I've ever seen in my life." Nadine said laughing. It was sprawled on the floor.

"Emily couldn't resist getting it." Liz had the same reaction Nadine did. Skye's comment was to get it out of their systems now, she was instituting a no stuffed animal rule for her nursery. "I figure Michael can nap on it when he's bigger. It will also be a good place for story time."

"That it will. I think Michael will sleep well tonight." Nadine could see that Jason and Elizabeth were committed to make the little boy happy.

"He is going to stay in my room." Jason said finally speaking up.

"Michael will be fine in his nursery." Nadine said smiling. "You will also probably sleep better with him not in your room." She said giving some advice. "With him that close every single sound he makes will have you checking." Looking around the room she didn't see the monitor they picked up, it was probably in Jason's room. "You can watch him on the baby monitor if you are worried."

"Will it hurt anything to have him in Jason's room this week?" Liz wanted to know.

"Not a thing." Nadine assured them both. She wasn't here to tell them how to parent, but they did ask for advice. "Michael just needs to feel safe to sleep. Jason probably smells somewhat like his dad which I'm sure is helping with the transition. Michael also feels loved, which is helping more."

"I read that vision is a baby's weakest sense in the beginning, and that some doctors feel that baby's imprint on their parents by scent." Jason had downloaded some books and started reading them yesterday.

"Your brother and Mrs. Quartermaine believed that." Nadine had learned about that at college.

"Did Carly wear a certain scent?" Liz wanted to know. She would do whatever she could to help Michael's transition.

"No. She went to all unscented products early in her pregnancy and kept that up once the baby arrived." Nadine had spent a lot of time talking with her bosses during the interview process. That was when they discussed not only the nanny's role in the house, but also what the parenting philosophy was going to be. The Quartermaines wanted to be as hands on as possible. Nadine was only going to be with their son when they were working, or on the occasional night out. "But babies know good people from bad ones. I firmly believe that, and judging by what I saw yesterday he likes you." She told the shorter woman. "Ready for bath time?" They hadn't done this last night.

"I have everything set up in the bathroom." Jason let Nadine know. He walked over and picked up Michael who was in his crib.

"Okay." In the tub was the smaller tub she had pointed out to Elizabeth. "You can use the sink at the moment if that is easier on your back." Nadine explained. There was a lot of counter space where the tub could sit. "A lot of people wash their babies in the kitchen because of the spray nozzle."

"He's not a turkey." Jason said trying not to laugh.

Liz just went ahead and laughed. Not at what Nadine said, but at Jason's answer. "The kitchen or bathroom sink is just higher. So you do less bending over."

Nadine nodded trying not to laugh. "The tub is fine as well." She saw a thick changing pad in here and had wondered why Liz picked up a second one. The new godmother was already thinking on her feet. "Why don't you get him undressed? Down to his diaper. I like that it's warm in here. Babies do not like to be cold."

"All the bathrooms have warmers, and towel warmers too." Liz pointed them out.

Michael's sleeper was on the towel warmers as well as a couple of the large terry cloth rectangles. Nadine walked over and touched the rod before nodding. Too warm would be a bad thing, but what she was feeling was just fine. "You don't want to go to a higher temperature than this. Michael's skin is very delicate."

"Understood." Elizabeth was taking this all in.

"In the tub?" Jason guessed cradling an almost naked Michael.

"Not just yet. Go ahead and wrap him in a towel for now." Nadine said moving back so that both Jason and Elizabeth could kneel by the tub. "You want to make sure that everything you need for the bath, and after, is ready to go. Also don't ever leave the baby unattended in the tub." She figured they knew this, but Liz had said when giving instructions assume they knew nothing. They both nodded. "You want a towel on the changing pad, next to that there should be a diaper, lotion, diaper cream if you need it and his sleeper." She took it down and moved it over. "If you are going to dress him in the bedroom you want the same setup. But I would say stay in here as long as possible because it is so warm."

"Water should be in the tub before you bring Michael into the bathroom." Nadine pointed out something they hadn't done. "Warm water, never hot. With the inclined tub you can go ahead and put the water right in the basin." She instructed them, seeing that once again Liz was taking notes. "What's wrong?" She asked because Jason was frowning.

"I can't feel temperatures." He said looking at Elizabeth. "I need to get the system that's in my bathroom installed over here. Then I can set the water temperature so I don't burn him. So tonight you should do bath time. I'll just hang out and be your assistant." He would watch carefully so he could do bath time later.

"That's not a problem." Liz answered nodding. "It won't take long to install." But it might take a few days to arrive after being ordered. "I don't mind doing baths. I read online that we shouldn't wash him every day?"

"That's correct. Right now two times a week is fine. You want to sponge bathe him with warm water on the days that he doesn't go into the tub." Nadine was happy to hear they were reading baby books. "He will probably be on that schedule until he's around ten months or so. Of course you want to listen to your pediatrician's advice over mine."

Liz started the water and when Nadine said it was fine she filled up the tub. When it was at the correct level Jason unwrapped the baby, and removed his diaper before handing him to Elizabeth. Michael started making loud mewling noises, not quite crying, but they were headed there. It was clear that he wasn't enjoying this. "He doesn't like baths?" Liz asked keeping her eyes on the baby.

"No." Nadine said chuckling. "Not all babies like baths in the beginning, so you want to be quick. It's something that generally changes once they are older. I would suggest starting with shampoo and then moving to the body." She was perched on the side of the tub while Jason was standing behind Elizabeth. "A wet cloth will help with the hair washing." She said looking around.

"I'll get one." Jason went into the nursery and grabbed a couple. Once the room was set up Elizabeth had shown him where everything was. Then asked if he wanted anything moved. He said no, she had done an excellent job. "Here you go."

"Great." Nadine took them and handed one to Elizabeth. She walked the other woman through cleaning Michael's hair, and then the rest of him. A rinse quickly followed and by now the baby was letting them know he was not happy with the current events. He had very good lungs.

"I'm sorry." Liz said trying to soothe the upset child. "It's almost over kiddo. I promise to get faster." The sight of those big blue eyes filled with tears was killing her.

"Practice will have you zipping through this in no time." Nadine assured them both.

"I think you did great." Jason said moving so that Elizabeth could put Michael on the changing pad and wrap him in the warm towel that was waiting. "The counter might be better." He said seeing the big wet spot on her shirt."

"For now probably." Liz said agreeing. "We'll figure it out. Now what?"

"Give him a good drying, rubbing softly. Then lotion." Nadine pointed to the bottle. "You will want to leave his lower half covered if you don't put on a diaper right away." She advised grinning.

"Jason got anointed last night." Liz said grinning. "I am wet enough. Do you want me to keep going?"

"Yeah." Jason was enjoying watching her with the baby. "I can do the next bath time, and the ones after that. You can watch and criticize my technique." He said laughing.

"Okay, but when bath time gets fun we might have to renegotiate." She said rubbing the lotion onto Michael's chest and arms after warming it in her hands. A diaper was put on and then his legs were lotioned up.

"Here is his sleeper." Jason had picked it. The blue pajamas were covered in dogs. In no time at all Michael was dressed for bed and making sucking sounds. "Time for a bottle."

"I don't think I'm needed for that. You did great." Nadine said helping with the cleanup. She was wondering how much work she was actually going to do. Hands on parents were the best thing for a child, but she would offer whatever support was necessary.

"You take the feeding." Liz said rinsing out the small tub. "I'll come down and make the bottles for tomorrow."

"I can help you with that if you like." Nadine let her know.

"Alright." Liz said standing up. With two of them they would get it done twice as fast. "Thank you for coming up. I'm sure we would have figured it out on our own, but this way it was less stressful for Michael."

"You guys really are doing great so far." Nadine said as Elizabeth turned off the bathroom light.

"I know it will get harder than this, at the moment Michael doesn't do much. Once he's mobile I'm guessing things will get really interesting." Liz said smiling. "The big hurdle at the moment are mine and Jason's nerves. We will get there." She said as they walked down the hall. "I'm going to change my shirt and meet you downstairs."

Nadine had no doubt that Elizabeth said was true. They loved Michael, and they would be fine.

* * *

"Thank you for getting the books." Jason said closing the door to Michael's nursery. At the moment the small child was in his crib fast asleep, if he actually spent the night there would remain to be seen. Jason wasn't sure he was comfortable with that just yet.

"Skye went with me, and she actually bought them as a gift to Michael. His aunts are going to have to be watched, I think they are going to enjoy spoiling him." Liz was so thankful to be able to be a part of the little boy's life. Most godparents weren't this hands on, but Jason was making it clear that her role was much larger than the norm.

"I'm not going to try and stop them. Once Skye and Cody's baby arrives then some of the spotlight will be taken off of Michael. It will be nice that he has someone to grow up with." Jason said looking down at Elizabeth. They were standing in the hall outside of the nursery.

"I guess I should head home." She said not wanting to leave. "I'll let you two guys settle in for the night." It was clear from last night that Jason was fine on his own overnight.

"You don't have to leave yet." Jason wanted her to know. "In fact I'd like it if you didn't. With Michael asleep I have you to myself." He said letting a slow smile come to his face. "I'm still working on learning to share."

That made her laugh. "So what did you have in mind? A bike ride is out, but we could cuddle on the couch and ignore whatever movie you pick." Liz said letting her smile turn flirtatious.

"Are you implying that I'm just going to go downstairs and make out with you? I'm not that kind of guy." Jason mock protested.

"Yes, you are." Liz said with a smirk before walking away.

"You're right I am that kind of guy." Jason said before following her down the stairs. He caught up with her beside the couch. His lips covered hers as he pulled her closer. There was too much space between them.

She pushed until he backed up and when his leg hit the couch they went down. Shifting she ended up straddling his thighs with her lips still on his. Her fingers speared through his short hair as she felt his hands frame her hips. Moving wasn't even a conscious thought in her mind. The only thing that mattered was getting closer.

She titled her head back as his mouth left hers and traveled down the column of her throat. Her t-shirt had a V neckline today and he took advantage of that. Letting his lips move to the skin of her chest that was exposed. His hands weren't staying still either. They moved from her hips and up her waist stopping just before his thumbs touched the underside of her breasts. It amazed him that his one hand could almost span the width of her back. At moments like this just how much smaller than him she was became clear. He didn't think she was weak but he needed to make sure to not hurt her even unintentionally.

Liz moaned low as his mouth took a leisurely journey down her neck and when he kissed the skin of her upper chest she bit her lower lip. The man was driving her crazy, in the best possible way. "Hmm." She had no problem letting him know that she was very much enjoying his attention. When he kissed the skin behind her ear she couldn't stop the gasp that escaped. His lips finally moved back to his and she didn't even try to control the kiss. She would have her turn she had no doubt about that. Right now this was his show, and she was fine with that.

Jason pulled his mouth from hers and put his head on her shoulder as his arms tightened around her waist so she wouldn't move. He was close to the edge and needed to calm down a little. She pushed him higher faster than any woman he had been with. Not that he was complaining because it felt amazing, he just wasn't sure he was going to survive it. They also needed to talk, things were moving fast because they had a lot of repressed emotions coming to the surface. He knew he did. For the last couple of years he had been fighting this. Boy was he an idiot.

"Why are you laughing?" She asked him. Why they stopped was something she could figure out on her own. It was a good thing they did because she was about to explode. It had been a couple of years since she was with anyone and her control was not the best. Which made her wonder how long it had been for him.

"I was just thinking that I was stupid to have tried to pretend this wasn't between us." He looked up into her eyes. They were darker with passion. "We could have been here a while ago."

"We got here when it was right for us." Liz said shrugging. "I would have rather had you wait until you were sure than to have you start something only to walk away."

"I was doubting myself when I heard the verdict in AJ's death, but you're too amazing to let go." He said letting his lips drift over her chin. "We have to stop for the night." He said not really wanting to. "I don't have any protection in the penthouse. We should also probably get blood tests before we go any further."

"I just had a physical. Just before vacation. I get a blood panel done every year." Liz had to request it because lab work wasn't standard. "As a sexually active adult it's just smart. I'm perfectly healthy. I can show you if you like." She had the paperwork downstairs in her file cabinet.

"I believe you. I had a physical last month. I get it done around the same time as my yearly neurological exam. I do all the medical stuff at once. I also get a blood panel done, and I'm also healthy." Jason liked that they could talk about this. "I told you that Robin was HIV positive, we were careful. We never actually had intercourse though. She was worried about making me sick, even though her viral load was low."

"I know that you wouldn't be here with me like this if you thought you would make me sick." Liz was safe with him. "So how long has it been since you've been with someone?"

"Just over two years." Jason admitted with a half grin. "A couple of years after Robin died I had a fling with someone I had known for a while. It was purely a physical thing because neither one of us wanted to be in a relationship. She moved away before Carly introduced you to me. Have you been with anyone since Ewan?" Jason didn't think so, and honestly it didn't matter. He wasn't going to judge her.

"No. Our breakup left me in not so great of a space emotionally. I was angry for a good long while, and I was nervous about putting myself back out there. I didn't want to pick another jerk." Liz said being truthful. "So I took some time to just work, and hang out with my friends. I didn't want to make the same mistake I made with Ewan, and the guy before him who was incredibly immature. I figured when it was time to start dating again I would know it. I also wasn't going to settle for a little boy, I wanted a grown man this go round."

"How did Ewan never learn what you did for a living?" Jason wanted to know.

Liz just laughed. "He never even asked. I told him that I worked in publishing when we met. My job never came up again. He liked for things to be about him, and I didn't want to share what I did with him. That should have had me walking away. I wasn't looking for a lifetime with Ewan, but I think deep down inside I knew he was a jerk."

"I'm a grown man." Jason let her know. "And I'm ready for a woman who expects that of me."

"It's okay to be worried." Liz didn't want him to think she saw what he struggled with as a sign of weakness. Because it wasn't. Weakness would be never trying again. "I told you that I'll always worry about you."

"I'm grateful that you care about me. So we don't need blood tests, but we do need protection." Jason would go shopping tomorrow.

"We can decide when it's best to stop using that protection. I'm also on the pill, just so you know." Liz leaned forward and kissed him. "I also made my former boyfriends use condoms. We never got to the point where ditching them was an option. I'm looking forward to getting there with you." She said in a husky whisper.

"I've never gone without latex either." Jason wondered if he would survive it. "I'm looking forward to it as well. For now though I think we should more kissing before you go home."

"Best idea I've heard all night." Liz said bringing her lips back to his.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	22. Chapter 22

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 22

"Hello." Liz said taking Michael and kissing the top of his head. "Welcome to my apartment. Somewhere new to explore." She said to the little boy. Not that he was looking around. "I can tell he's excited." She said smiling up at Jason. She was also looking him over to see if he was tired. "How was last night?"

"Fine. I ended up bringing him into my room." Jason wouldn't have been able to sleep otherwise. "Maybe tonight we'll give the nursery a go."

"There's no rush." She said rubbing the baby's back. "We will be inside all day today. It's going to rain, and I didn't get a cover for the carriage. I'll go pick one up this week. Or ask Nadine to do it." Jason was going to be paying the nanny so asking her to do Michael related things was fine.

"Is she coming over?" Jason was heading into the warehouse today. It was time to get back on his normal schedule. Until the end of the week when they hopefully went away.

"In a little bit. I told her eight." Liz said rocking slightly. Michael snuggled closer so she guessed he was enjoying the motion. "Renaldo is coming over as well, since Nadine hasn't cleared her security check yet. Georgie will also be here. So there will be plenty of people to hold Michael." She had an entire section of the living room set up for him, and a changing station in the second full bathroom because no one ever used it.

Jason nodded before running a hand over Michael's soft hair. "I'd like you to come to the doctor's office with us." He hadn't officially invited her, although he hoped she knew she was welcome. "I want you to be able to ask questions if you have any."

"Thank you." Liz already knew her presence would be welcomed. "We are going to have fun today aren't we Michael." She was going to spend some time in her studio, but when he was awake she'd be out giving him some attention.

"Come in." Jason opened the door when the knock sounded. Nadine was on the other side of the steel panel, and Renaldo was coming up the hall. Like the first time Jason met her the nanny was in head to toe blue. He was guessing these were her work clothes.

"Any instructions?" Renaldo wanted to know.

"Use a spit cloth if you hold the baby." Jason said with a grin. Renaldo was in a suit, and if Michael threw up on it the stain might not come out. "You can dress down if you want." Jason didn't require the guys to wear suits anymore. "In fact you probably should, that way you blend in better with Elizabeth. You can dress up when she does."

"I'll start tomorrow." Renaldo told his boss.

Jason looked over at where Elizabeth was putting a sleepy Michael in his crib. Nadine had already moved into the kitchen to make bottles for the day. "I'll be in my office or on my cell if you need me." He let her know. "I should be back by six. Do you want to eat here or upstairs?"

"Upstairs is fine. I'll cook tonight." She offered.

"Okay. Can you please tell Nadine that a uniform is not required?" Jason asked his girlfriend.

Liz just laughed. "It's already on my mental list. I'll call if we need you. Why don't you go give the munchkin a kiss before you go?" She got the impression he didn't want to leave.

"Good idea." He went over and did just that, he also told Michael that he loved him. He wanted to get into the habit of saying the words because he wanted the little boy to have no doubt about that. "I'll see you later." He said leaning in and kissing Elizabeth.

"Yes. You will. Have a great day." She said standing in the doorway. Georgie had just stepped out of her unit so there was no point in closing the door.

"I guess the baby is here?" Georgie asked looking at the new furniture in the living room.

"He's napping now. We'll figure out how things work over the course of the week." Liz said locking up.

"I'm telling you now, there is a really good chance I will not be productive today." Georgie said laughing. "He's really cute."

"We can be unproductive together, because yeah he is." Liz said as she went to her studio to do some work while Michael was sleeping.

* * *

Johnny got out of his car in the parking lot at the warehouse. He leaned against the vehicle and waited while Jason parked. As his friend got out the SUV he looked him over. For the first time in a week Jason looked rested, which was funny when you realized he had a newborn at home.

"Slacking off?" Jason asked his friend.

"Of course. I only work when I have to." Johnny said like that was obvious. "That's why I took the promotion to head of security. Fewer people to beat up."

Jason just grinned. "Thank you for last week."

"I wish it hadn't been necessary." Johnny replied as they walked into the building. Around them the guys were working. This time of the morning it was fairly busy and noisy. "The background check on the nanny is done."

"Already?" Jason asked surprised. She would be getting a deep run and he expected it to take longer.

"Ms. Crowell graduated from Norland College, that probably won't mean much to you, but I recognized the name right away. The college is world renowned for its childcare educational program. They have a very long waiting list of families who want one of their graduates working in their home. Nadine had to get permission from the placement board to come to America with Michael. They even make their graduates wear uniforms while on the job." Johnny continued explaining.

Jason thought back to what Nadine was wearing when he dropped off Michael. "I've seen it blue polo shirt and blue pants."

"That's the practical uniform, or as you would say her every day uniform. They have a dress uniform that is straight out of a period movie. It even includes a hat and gloves. Norland is old school and extremely strict about how their nannies are trained. They also do a background run that makes us look like sloths. Stan accessed Nadine's file and then spent the rest of the weekend confirming what they had." Johnny told his boss.

"They are still keeping tabs on her?" Jason wanted to know.

"Yes." Johnny said as they went to Jason's office. "As long as she is registered with their agency she is required to undergo periodic checks. If she gets arrested or displays any other untoward behavior she will get bounced. They have a zero tolerance policy." Johnny had been impressed.

"Can she unregister?" Jason didn't like the thought of possibly being monitored.

"She can, but honestly she would probably leave here first. Getting the Norland seal of approval is hard, and once you have it you don't voluntarily relinquish it. They aren't watching you, just her. In fact they will more than likely call you at some point wanting a performance review. I told Stan to flag the system at the school to make sure their eyes don't stray. If they type in your name we get a notification and can see why. You need to be in their files as Ms. Crowell's new boss, but they don't get to run a deep level search on you. Looking around their files, you are practically a Boy Scout compared to some of the people their nannies are working for. They have a graduate in the home of a well-known drug lord." Norland nannies were expensive.

"They are going to look me up though?" Jason got that.

"Yes. They do their best to keep their nannies safe." Johnny had to respect that. "They don't want to place them somewhere they are in harm. From what I can tell for them that means they don't want dad thinking he's going to have a new toy." A young woman living in the house of a powerful family could be at risk.

"She'll be safe here." Jason had no intention of hitting on the nanny.

"She will. Which brings me to the next few points. Marco is back. He's sleeping off the jet lag and will start following you around tomorrow. At some point this week we'll sit him down and talk about what we are thinking of having him do. Ritchie is packing. I told him to stop by before he leaves. Max left this morning to start learning the territory." Jason just nodded so Johnny kept going. "I'm going to assign Milo to Michael, unless you have any problems with that."

"If you think he's ready, that's fine." Jason trusted Johnny's judgement.

"I'm going to assign Lee to protect Nadine." Johnny said finishing up the new security details. "I told both Milo and Lee that Renaldo is in charge if they are all together. If Marco is added into the mix then he is in charge." The guys wouldn't question it.

"It's a solid team." Jason said giving his approval. "Renaldo went over how things worked with Nadine yesterday. If Milo is going to be guarding Michael then it's time for Georgie to have a guard." She became a way to compromise security. "Who do we have that will work?"

Johnny gave it some thought. "Let me ask Cody. He'll be in today. Anything I need to know?"

"Michael has a doctor's appointment tomorrow. So the crew should be made aware of that. I'm also thinking of going away next week." Jason explained as he sat on the edge of his desk.

"Good. Francis was going to come see you tomorrow and suggest that." Johnny said grinning. "You haven't gone on vacation since you took over. With everything that has happened in the past week now is good time." The territory was quiet. No one wanted to test Jason again. The Sully family had tried right after Sonny died, and Jason had wiped them out with a swiftness that left no doubt he was ready to lead. "Where you headed?"

"Elizabeth wants to show me Malibu. So I figure we will fly to the coast for some relaxation." Jason was looking forward to it.

"Her place is secure. She lets me do a sweep whenever Gia and I are out that way." Johnny really liked the house, and he appreciated that Liz let them stay pretty much whenever they wanted to. He also really liked hearing that his friends were going away together.

"Also once I file adoption paperwork for the baby CPS will be looking hard at me." Jason passed along. "I'm going to try not to stress everyone else out, but I don't know who they'll want to talk with."

"We can handle that." Johnny let his boss know. "You concentrate on that. Francis, Cody, and I can handle work stuff. And no you aren't taking advantage of us." He added because he knew how his friend thought. "We get paid to do this." Jason tended to try to handle everything himself, so if anything they would be happy to lighten his load. "Also." Johnny said before he left. "I have eyes on Edward. Phil is taking that detail."

"Edward won't do anything just yet. Not where Michael is concerned anyway. He will want to make it look like he's behaving. My grandfather is going to go after the company in a public way to try and distract me. I'll be setting up something shortly to keep him busy there." Jason figured the game of chess with the old man would begin in earnest fairly soon.

"Your family is strange." Johnny said being totally honest.

"I know. They are also exhausting." Jason hated the drama. "Let me get to work. I have things to do." He said grinning.

"I'm down the hall if you need me. Francis is off today." Johnny reminded his boss as he walked out of the office.

Alone Jason sat down and reached for the telephone. He had to look the number up before dialing, then he leaned back in his chair and waited for the line to be answered.

"This is Jax." Jasper Jacks was finishing breakfast as he took the call.

"Hello." Jason knew the Australian, but they weren't close. They were connected through Ned, and of course Carly.

"Jason. How are you this morning?" Jax had flown in for the funeral and was still in Port Charles taking care of some club business. He also had dinner with his ex-wife Miranda whom he hadn't seen in a while.

"Getting back to my normal." He told the older man.

"I understand that." Jax had lost a sibling as well. So he knew the relief that came from getting back to your everyday life after days of focusing on nothing but death. "How can I help you with that?" He knew enough about the man he was talking to, to get right to the point.

"I have a business offer. You should know up front that accepting means you'll be on my grandfather's radar. He's about to become a problem for me. Probably soon." Jason was extremely honest in his business deals.

"Say no more, I'm in." Jax was not an Edward Quartermaine fan. He was smirking as he continued. "What is the offer?" They would start things without getting the lawyers involved.

"I now own all of AJ's company." Jason began to explain. "I was wondering if you would like to buy the controlling interest."

Jax grinned, the younger man on the other end of the line was extremely savvy. Everything he touched made money, so a potential partnership would be profitable. "If you own all the business then the other shareholders, the silent ones are all you." Since there was no whisper of Jason being his brother's partner, that fact was well hidden. "This call tells me you want to stay quiet for as long as possible."

"Correct." Jason wasn't going to lie about that last fact.

"That may come out when Edward begins his takeover bid, because I'm guessing that is what is in the near future." Jax was thinking out loud. "You don't want it out now because you want your grandfather to try a hostile takeover. For some reason. I'm in, mainly because I want to see Edward with egg on his face and that will be fun. How long are we going to be partners?" This felt like a short term deal.

"For helping me I'm willing to sell you the company when this is all said and done." Jason told the Australian. If everything played out like he wanted it to the mob boss was going to come out with a much bigger prize.

"Deal. I'll have my lawyer contact Ms. Miller." Jax thought this was going to be a wild ride. "Should I stay in Port Charles for a while?"

"If you want a front row seat yes. If you are content with getting reports then no. It's up to you." Jason didn't care either way. "Just so you know, I have no problem with you getting in Edward's face. It might even be helpful."

"I think I'll stay then." Jax said grinning. He didn't want to miss a single minute. Not only of the business issue, but of whatever Jason was using the company to hide. "See you around town."

"You will." Jason said before ending the call, and dialing Diane's number.

* * *

Edward Quartermaine was not a man who lost at anything. Not at life. He was at the top of the social order not only in Port Charles, but around the globe his name commanded respected. It had been that way for most of his adult life.

Not in love. He had not been the only suitor vying for Lila's hand in marriage. A woman that exquisite drew the attention of the smart men around her. However when the dust settled it had been his marriage proposal she accepted. He won her heart, and never gave it back.

And he especially did not lose in business.

ELQ was an international powerhouse. He had built his company from scratch when his father refused to give him any assistance. Decades of hard work had gone into making the company what it was. As the world changed so had ELQ. Science, security, manufacturing they dabbled in them all, and any other sector you could name. Other companies were dwarfed in its shadow.

Everything Edward could see around him was his kingdom with him as the ruler. Now he just needed one more piece. The jewel in his crown was going to be the company that his grandson started.

AJ had proven himself to be worthy of the name Quartermaine. When he swiped that pharmaceutical company out from under ELQ, Edward had been as proud as he was furious. Now that company was going to be folded into the bigger conglomerate and it was going to make the Quartermaine coffers grow.

This morning Edward had expected to see some news of what was happening with the company in the financial papers, yet there hadn't been a peep. With AJ's lawyer gone, she had left this morning, it meant the will was not going to be read to the family. Which in turn meant that Jason had more than likely inherited the company.

Edward let a ruthless smirk come to his weathered face. That was fine. Jason was no match for him. Not only would his grandson end up losing the business, but he was also not going to keep custody of Michael. That child was going to be raised in the mansion, and he would be everything his father, uncle, and aunt were not. He was going to one day have this office. Edward was going to see to it.

First he needed to get information. Nothing could happen without that. The names of the minor stockholders in AJ's company needed to be compiled. They would be contacted and bought out. That would give him a foot in the door. After that he would go head to head with his grandson.

At the same time that was taking place Edward was going to hire the best detective money could buy. He was going to look for Carly's family. No one was truly an orphan. Everyone's family tree had distant relatives, it was just a matter of finding them. Once they were located he was going to make them an offer. They would come to Port Charles to sue for custody, and once they had it they would turn the baby over to him.

If he thought he could bribe Elizabeth Webber he would just have her take Jason to court. As the baby's godmother she'd have a very strong case. However Edward was uncertain of just how close she was to his grandson, so that was a risk too big to take.

She would bear watching though, because a judge might be inclined to give her custody over strange relatives who just showed up. He wasn't going to risk getting his way only to have her countersue for custody and win. Those family court justices were frustratingly hard to bribe, so it wasn't like he could stack the deck in his favor.

"Brian, come into my office." Edward called in his personal assistant. It was time to get putting his plan in motion. The first step was getting all the information needed. With any luck by the end of the summer all this would be over.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	23. Chapter 23

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 23

"Are you nervous?" Liz asked rubbing Jason's knee. They were sitting in the waiting room of the pediatrician's office. It was empty at the moment. Gia had managed to get the earliest appointment of the day, so they wouldn't have to deal with a lot of people. Last night Elizabeth had sat with both Jason and Nadine to fill out Michael's patient paperwork.

"Only a little. Gia said he's healthy, I just want that confirmed." Jason said rubbing Michael's back. Today they were trying out the baby carrier, which meant he had his nephew strapped to his chest. The little boy seemed to be enjoying being held so close. "I looked up the doctors, they are both extremely highly rated."

Liz nodded because that didn't surprise her. Jason would want to know his nephew was in good hands. "Hi." Liz said as Nadine joined them. The nanny was needed in case the doctors wanted more background information than what the paperwork provided.

"Good morning." Nadine said taking a seat. She had been brought over to the hospital by Lee. The car ride had been made in silence, but she figured she would start to get to know him better soon. She nodded to Mr. Morgan before her eyes strayed to, and then quickly moved away from, Renaldo. He was back in jeans and she liked the color of his shirt. "Ms. Webber, Liz." She corrected herself. "I was wondering if you could recommend a place to get some casual clothing. My things aren't here just yet." Which was why she was still wearing her uniform. She also needed to get laundry detergent soon, which is why she hadn't washed the jeans she wore the other day.

"We can go shopping after this appointment if you like. The guys can drive us around and I can point out some places of interest. I can also show you where the supermarket and shopping district are during the ride." Liz knew Renaldo wouldn't mind.

"That would be great. If I had more time, or was in need of more things, I could just shop online." Nadine could also use the time to get to know Liz better. "Thank you. Knowing where the market is will be helpful. I'll shop on my next day off." Because today was a work day.

"If you need things we can certainly stop and get them today." Liz saw nothing wrong with that. She wanted the other woman comfortable.

"I'm on the clock." Nadine said with a smile. Just like her former bosses, both Liz and Jason seemed very nice. Which made her lucky. Some of her schoolmates were treated like crap.

"Alright." Liz said because she respected Nadine's work ethic. "Most places are open until around ten on weeknights. So the option to shop after work is available to you as well."

Before Nadine could answer the door opened and Gia looked out. "Come on back guys."

"I didn't know you would be here." Jason said when they reached the back.

"I'm not going to be a regular visitor to his exams." Gia explained. "In fact if all goes well then you won't see the three of us at the same time unless you request it. For the initial exam I need to be here. I also wanted to let you know, that as of right now I'm Michael's surgeon if it becomes necessary, but if you decide to switch that I won't take it personally." The degrees of separation might be too close for comfort, she understood that.

"I see no reason to make a change." Jason said shrugging. He had looked Gia up too. People came from all over the world to consult with her, which was a good thing to know.

"Good morning." Eve Lambert was going to take point on this visit. Her colleagues would just chime in when needed. "I'm Dr. Lambert. This is Dr. Adair, and I know that you are already familiar with Dr. Campbell."

"I'm Elizabeth Webber." She said extending her hand. "This is Jason Morgan." Which as citizens of Port Charles they would know. "This is Nadine Crowell, Michael's nanny, and this cutie is Michael." Liz made the introductions knowing Jason wouldn't talk much just yet.

"Why don't you put him down on the table, and get his sleeper off?" Eve requested. "He is adorable. I had a chance to read over his chart this morning."

"As did I." Dr. Adair said speaking for the first time. She smiled at the baby who was looking at the brightly colored mobile. "I paid close attention to his scans. I was very pleased with what I saw. I have a conference call with Gia, and Michael's surgeon scheduled for this afternoon." She said getting out her stethoscope to have a listen. She warmed it in her hands as they talked.

"Yes, both Michael's grandfather and great-grandfather suffered with it. Both are patients at General Hospital." Liz explained relaxing now that the doctor said she was happy.

"Since this condition is hereditary, having Alan's records is actually a great help. I was pleased to see that he had no issues while growing up. Science has come a lot further since Alan was treated as a baby. The procedure Michael had didn't even exist back then." Dr. Adair said smiling at the baby on the table. "Heart rate is excellent." It was steady and strong.

"How often will he need to see you?" Jason asked speaking for the first time.

"Unless Eve sees something she doesn't like, I would say normally once a year." Dr. Adair was happy to report. "This year I will want to see Michael in six months, and then six months after that. Only because his surgery was so recent and I want to be vigilant. If those two visits go well then from that point we will go to once a year."

"We would rather have the extra visit just to be safe. So that is not a problem." Liz let the doctor's know. She appreciated the top notch care Michael was receiving.

"Okay, let me have a look at this angel. Hello sweetie." Eve said to Michael. She loved children and loved her job. "Ms. Crowell you accompanied Michael from England?"

"Yes." Nadine answered also nodding.

"Any issues with sleeping, going to the bathroom, allergies, eating, or anything in general?" Dr. Lambert wanted to know.

"No ma'am. Once Michael came home from the hospital he was like any other baby. This is my second placement." The first child's family decided that once she started school a nanny was no longer needed. "So I had a baseline of behavior for comparison."

"You also went through a very prestigious education program." Eve recognized the school name. "So I would expect you to know your stuff." She was looking at the baby's eyes and checking his ears as she moved on with the exam. "Any family health issues on mom's side?"

Nadine looked over at Liz to see if she would answer. "You go first as you were with Carly on an everyday basis more recently than me." Liz told the nanny.

"Mrs. Quartermaine was in great shape. Even with the stress of Michael's recovery, she was taking care of herself." Nadine provided as an answer.

"Carly was adopted. She didn't have details about her biological parents' medical history. Growing up she didn't suffer from any chronic illness. Nor did she exhibit signs of any serious issues." Liz gave her answer.

"We can do a genetic screening on Michael if you like." Gia said looking at her friends. "That will tell us if there is anything to watch for. Also we can request Carly's medical history from her doctor's here and in England. If she had a screening done when she was looking for her family that would save time."

"I'll have Diane get started on that." Jason wanted the doctors to have as much information as they could get.

"Good." Eve said moving down to Michael's belly. "Everything is looking great. I'm going to get him on the scale before you leave."

"I can take his blood pressure if you like." Dr. Adair offered. Because there were six adults in the room there wasn't a nurse in for this exam.

"Thanks." Eve said with a nod as she manipulated his legs to see hip movement. She opened his diaper to have a look and noted his circumcision was nicely healed. It had been done while he was on the operating table.

"Perfect." Dr. Adair said noting the numbers in the chart. She also looked at the incision spot and saw that there was minimal scaring. "So far all the signs are pointing to a very healthy baby." She smiled over at Jason and Liz. Ten years ago Michael would still be in the hospital recovering.

"Good." Liz said smiling at Jason. He reached over and took her hand in his giving it a light squeeze.

"Okay." Eve said rubbing Michael's tummy. "You can get him dressed again. I'm going to send you to have blood drawn because I want a fresh panel for his records. I'm not expecting to see any abnormalities because he had a panel run last month which came back clear."

"When do we need to come back?" Liz wanted to know.

"Next month. I'll see Michael every month until he's one. Then the visits will start to space themselves out. At his wellness visits we will do vaccinations, check his weight, take his blood pressure, and things of that nature. That will also be the time you can pepper me with any questions you might have." Eve said watching as Gia put Michael on the scale.

"Nine pounds even, and twenty-one inches." Gia announced as Rachel noted it in the chart.

"Was his diaper dry?" Dr. Adair asked and Eve nodded.

"Nadine advised that we change him when we arrived at the hospital." Liz smiled at the nanny.

"Right in the range we want to see. Michael was small at birth because of his heart issues so he had to play catch up. He's been putting on weight and growing. Both are indicators of good health." The pediatrician said smiling.

"So what should we be doing for him this month?" Liz had read the books but she wanted the doctor's opinion.

"Lots of tummy time. Working those core muscles. Michael should be lifting his head some soon, but he still won't have control of it. His vision is getting better so give him lots of things to look at. His hearing his getting better as well, so I advise all my moms and dads with babies this age to talk to their little ones as much as possible. Help those brain cortexes start forming. Reading to babies is an excellent way to help the language center grow. He is sleeping on his back?" She wanted to know.

"Yes." Jason was making a mental note of the things they needed to be doing for Michael.

"Good. I figured as much, but I like to check." Eve said taking Michael back and putting him on the exam table. She snapped her fingers by his right ear and watched his eyes move, she repeated that on the left. "Hearing is good." He had been tested at the hospital before discharge, but it was something they would check often. "Any other questions? If you think of any later you can call the office at any time."

"Same for me." Dr. Adair said leaning on the exam table.

"Nadine has been incredibly helpful with the day to day items." Liz said looking at the nanny.

"That's why I'm here." She said trying not to blush. She had been trained to fade into the background.

"Okay then, I will see you next month. Make an appointment on your way out." Eve said shaking hands. "Then head up for bloodwork."

"My office will call you when it's time for me to see Michael." Dr. Adair said shaking hands as well.

"It sounds like I won't be needed." Gia said smiling. "I really hope that doesn't change."

"For now we are going to continue to send updates to Dr. Campbell. Dr. Adair can decide when that stops." Eve had a good feeling that Michael was going to be fine from this point forward.

"Thank you." Liz said smiling wide.

"Yes, thank you." Jason said helping Elizabeth put on the carrier. He was going to the warehouse, and she was taking Michael back to her place.

"Again, any questions call." Dr. Lambert said ending the visit.

"I'll walk out with you guys." Gia said opening the door for her friend. "Great news."

"The best." Liz agreed. "Thank you for getting us in so soon, and getting us such great doctors."

"You're welcome. I'm in the Towers if you ever need anything." Gia reminded them. Her friends didn't take advantage of having a doctor so close, but she would happily help them if they needed it.

"I need to make an appointment and get a copy of the visit faxed over to Diane for her files." Liz said pointing to the nurses' desk."

"I'll walk with you guys up to the lab." Jason said feeling a huge sense of relief that Michael was healthy.

* * *

"Do you mind driving us around?" Nadine asked Renaldo. "I can do the tour at another time."

"It's not a problem." He would like having her in his car. "Liz already knew that or she wouldn't have offered. She doesn't treat us like servants." He wanted that clear. She also knew that driving was something he really liked to do.

"I'm getting that impression. It's nice to work for people who respect you." Nadine was getting warm, and again fighting off a blush. Something about him just pulled at her.

"It is." Renaldo answered looking into her blue eyes. They were purest shade of cornflower blue he had ever seen in his life.

"Okay, all set." Liz said coming back over. Jason, Marco, and Lee were waiting by the door. They would all walk over together. Milo would be joining them when they returned to the Towers. From what Liz understood he was getting his assignment today.

"Then let's head out. Where would you like to go first when we are done at the lab?" Renaldo asked getting his mind back on the job.

"Shopping district." Liz said as she went to where Jason was standing.

* * *

"You wanted to see me?" Milo asked walking into Johnny's office. His receptionist said to go straight back. The fact that Francis was also here had Milo wondering if he had done something wrong. Although he didn't think that was the case.

"Have a seat." Johnny said sitting behind his desk. "We are waiting for Cody."

"Okay." Milo sat and his nerves jumped. With him coming this meeting was more than likely about getting an assignment, which would mean he had made it to senior guard level.

"Sorry." Cody hated to be late. "I had to take a call. Everything's good." He told his bosses before sitting as well. It had just been a routine matter.

"Go ahead." Johnny told the enforcer. This was really Cody's show, it's just that his office behind the coffee shop was being painted today.

Cody nodded before looking at Milo. "Congratulations, you are being promoted. You have put in a lot of hard work and I really like what I've seen." Milo had shown that he was worthy of more responsibility.

"Thank you." Milo said grinning. He couldn't wait to tell Georgie.

"I have an assignment for you." Cody didn't bother to issue any threats. It wasn't necessary, the guys knew what would happen if they screwed up. Once he heard what his assignment was Milo would also understand that he would lose his life if messed up.

"Okay." Milo said looking at the enforcer.

"You are going to be Michael's primary guard. You'll be working with Lee who is guarding Nadine Crowell, the nanny, and Renaldo who is with Liz." Cody explained the job. "Your back up is going to be Brody."

"Understood." Milo knew that Jason had to approve this placement, and he planned on making his boss proud. "Am I starting today?"

"You are. Renaldo will call you when they are back at the Towers, and you can head over to Liz's place." Cody continued looking at Milo. "Jason wants you in jeans and a polo shirt for this assignment, so that you blend in with the rest of the crew so get changed." Milo always wore suits. The younger man nodded. "Also because you are guarding Jason's son." Which is how everyone was already thinking of the little boy. "Georgie will now be getting a guard."

"I'm not sure she is going to like that." Milo said frowning for the first time.

"I don't mean to be harsh, but she doesn't get a choice. You know why." Francis said speaking up. "If she bucks us on this it's going to come back on you. You won't lose your senior guard status, but you will be reassigned."

"With Liz out this might be a good time to talk to your girl." Johnny suggested to the younger man. He also didn't think Georgie was going to like this change, but he suspected she wouldn't argue. Mainly because she would understand that would be bad for Milo. Johnny was hoping Liz could help there if it was needed.

"I'll do that." Milo let them know. "I'll also call if there is an issue." Lying about that wouldn't happen. Because that would lose him his senior guard status.

"Good." Cody was going to let that go for now. If he didn't hear from Milo in a few days he would check in.

"Do you know who is going to be guarding Georgie? She's probably going to ask." Milo wanted to know.

"Ian." Cody had selected the guard carefully. It was someone who Milo liked and respected, who was also good at his job.

"Cool." Milo liked knowing his girl would have someone good.

"With your promotion you get a pay raise." Something he doubted Milo cared much about. His bank account was already large because of whose son he was. "You also get another two weeks of vacation bringing your total paid time off to one month. You will be expected to travel with Michael if necessary. Also the entire security crew will be meeting once a week with me and you need to be in the hospital to miss it." He waited for Milo to nod. "Any questions for me?"

"No sir." Milo knew what was expected of him.

Johnny just grinned before leaning his elbows on his desk. "Congrats."

"Yeah, what ugly said." Francis said laughing.

"Thanks." Milo got a round of handshakes before leaving.

"I remember my first big assignment." Johnny said shaking his head. "I was terrified." He said laughing. "Not that I showed it."

"I hear you." Francis was nodding. "My first big assignment was a former boss's wife's detail. I had nightmares for a week about what would happen to me if something happened to her." Nothing did but his boss got taken out, so he went to work for another family. That boss retired without incident and Francis found himself in Port Charles.

"My first big assignment was Emily when she was a senior in undergraduate school. I must have done something right because look at me now." He said grinning. "I was shaking in my boots though when Jason called me to his office. He was never in his office back then so I just knew I had screwed up." They all laughed. "Georgie won't be an issue."

"No, she won't." Francis agreed with his friend. "She'll agree to the guard, and then go talk to Liz about it."

"Yup." Johnny said in agreement.

"Okay, I need to go drive around and scare people." Cody said with a grin. He liked checking up on his guys.

"I have contracts to review before I go make sure Jason takes vacation." Francis also got to his feet. "I also want to hear that Michael is okay."

"Me too." Johnny had lit a candle for the little boy last night. "See you around the halls." He said to his friend's retreating back. Francis raised his hand and kept going. "I guess I need to work now." Johnny said reaching for a contract.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	24. Chapter 24

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 24

"Diane Miller to see Betsy Chilson." The fashionable attorney checked in with the receptionist. Today Diane was getting the ball rolling on the adoption. Yesterday Michael had gotten the all clear from his medical team, and with a copy of the visit in her file the attorney could move forward. The news that Nadine was staying had been just as wonderful to hear.

"Straight down the hall third door on the right. She is expecting you." The receptionist pointed while talking.

"Thank you." Diane knocked on the appropriate door and was ushered into a shoebox of an office that was spotless. "Good morning."

"Good morning." Betsy had been chosen for this assignment by her boss. As one of the senior staff members she would be able to handle any roadblocks that might come up. She would also represent the agency well on what was sure to be a high profile adoption. "I understand you are going to be filing adoption paperwork on behalf of your client?"

"I am, he is adopting his nephew." Diane said taking a seat.

"A relative adoption is not as rigorous as its counterpoint, but Mr. Morgan will still need to satisfy the state that he can care for a child." Betsy said getting down to it.

"I am concerned there may be some prejudice against my client from the state." Diane didn't believe in beating around the bush.

Betsy looked over at the other woman who had managed to get every charge her client faced overturned. Diane Miller was clearly a straight shooter something Betsy respected. "May I be completely honest with you?"

"Please." Diane said wondering what she was about to hear.

"It is everyone's best interest if Michael stays with a relative. We have a lot of children in the system, way too many. We don't need another one, especially when there is someone who can care for him." Betsy let the other woman know. "I want Mr. Morgan to succeed. Yes we are going to be looking at his life. His work and who he associates with. We are also going to be looking at his arrest record, because it's a matter of public record. Ignoring that it exists won't happen, and yes it is a black mark against him. A rather large one." They would have to consider how a possible prison sentence might affect Michael. "However all that will be weighed against what we see when we look at Mr. Morgan as a potential parent. He already has guardianship which is huge. Huge. A judge is going to look at that at think the parents want their child here, so he should stay. So right now this is your client's game to lose."

Diane nodded liking what she was hearing. She would see if this changed once Edward came into play. "I have some paperwork for you to review." She said handing over the file.

Betsy leafed through it. "He's been busy." She said smiling. "Baby proofing is done." Those types of safety measures weren't needed yet, but being proactive was never a bad thing. "A medical exam has been performed." She said more to herself than Diane. "A nanny from Norland?" That had her looking up.

"Yes." Diane said smiling.

"Well done." Betsy knew of the school's reputation. "I'll go over this. Thank you. We will need access to the penthouse for an inspection." Based on who did the babyproofing that review would be passed with flying colors. "I'll also be setting up interviews. Ms. Webber is high on my list. She is the child's godmother, correct?" Diane nodded. "What is her relationship to Mr. Morgan, exactly?" Betsy wanted to know. Pictures of them appeared in the paper from time to time, but if they were dating wasn't clear. "Are they friends, or something more?"

"I'm not prepared to discuss my client's personal life at the moment. I am aware at some point things will need to be disclosed." Diane never volunteered information.

Betsy cleared her throat to hide a chuckle. Ms. Miller was a slippery one. "Yes they will, but that can wait until the actual application is filed. Is there a list of references in the envelope?"

"Yes, as well as several letters of character." Diane had gotten one from Lila, and one from Emily before she left. One from Skye was in there as well. As family members they would be used to fight against whatever Edward, Monica, and Alan might say. Jason's doctor had written a letter stating him fit to parent from a health standpoint, and attached a copy of Jason's last physical. Diane was doing as much of the early work as she could.

"Good to know." Betsy already had a background check being run on Jason Morgan. It was taking a while. Elizabeth Webber's background check had come back this morning. "Ms. Webber will be an asset to Mr. Morgan's case. We will be looking closely at her in case he is deemed unfit to parent."

Diane just nodded, she liked hearing that about Liz. It was the same conclusion she herself had reached. "Elizabeth has been a constant presence in Michael's life since he arrived. Jason has given her unlimited access."

"It takes a village." Betsy said using the famous quote. It was also good to hear that her perspective parent had support. "Well then, right now there is nothing left to do but fill out some paperwork and schedule the first home visit."

"How soon do you want access to my client?" Diane would be on hand for that if allowed.

"Normally I'd say right away, however our agency is sensitive to the fact that Mr. Morgan did just lose his brother and sister in-law. We don't want to make this time harder than necessary. We'd also like to give him a chance to settle into his new role. The fact that he has done all this." She tapped the file. "And that you have come here so soon after he took custody says he is serious about his nephew's care. So I'll say two weeks."

"Is travel prohibited?" Diane knew there was a trip being talked about.

"No. Mr. Morgan has guardianship of Michael Quartermaine, so he can take him wherever he likes." Betsy said pulling up the correct computer file.

"I can arrange for you to inspect the penthouse at any point, since Jason doesn't need to be home for that." She could meet whoever the agency sent over.

"I'll look at my calendar when we are done the paperwork." Betsy was thinking that Ms. Miller was going to do her best to stay one step ahead of Child Protective Services, which would make everything easier. "If this goes without a problem then in roughly one month's time from the home visit the adoption will be approved. In some cases the timeline is even shorter." The parent's request made this all but a slam dunk.

"That is wonderful news. Let's get down to it." Diane said pointing to the computer.

* * *

"Do you want to talk about whatever is bothering you?" Liz asked Georgie. They were both in the office working. The corrections to the newest issue were finished. Michael was napping under Nadine's watchful eye, so Liz wasn't needed out there. That meant she could do some business matters, even though she didn't want to.

Georgie spun her chair around. "I agreed to have a guard." She said frowning. "I only did it because if I said no Milo would not get to be Michael's guard." Her guy had been upfront about that. Which kind of boxed her into a corner. "I don't want a guard."

"How come?" Liz would start there.

"It feels weird, and it's going to make my family freak out." Georgie listed her two big objections.

Liz would start with number two because she suspected that was the real issue. "Do they know you are dating one of Jason's guys?" Given what happened to her cousin Robin that might not go over so well.

"It's never come up." Georgie admitted with a rueful grin. "I don't think my mother will be surprised. She said Jones women like bad boys. I don't see others taking it well." And she didn't feel like getting a lecture. "You can guess who I mean."

"Frisco? I don't see Mac being an issue." Liz wanted to clear up who Georgie was talking about. Mac, her friend's stepdad, had actually lived in Port Charles for a while and he had raised Robin. Her death had hit him hard, but he hadn't blamed Jason. Mac actually believed the same thing Anna did. Frisco wasn't someone Liz knew much about.

"Yes, Frisco. Despite dropping into my life once every decade and then leaving just as quickly, he still feels he has the right to parent me." Maxie didn't even talk to him anymore. "I don't want him causing issues for Milo, or by extension Jason. Especially not now." Georgie knew adoption paperwork was going to be filed soon. Frisco had enough pull to cause problems.

"I suggest you call and talk to your mother. She might be able to rein in your absentee dad." Liz thought the man had a lot of nerve to even think he had the right to state an opinion. "If nothing else she might be able to contact Robin's parents and get them to talk Frisco down."

"She would need to talk to Anna. Robert thinks Robin's death is on Jason. He won't help." Georgie told her friend. He had also spent more time away from his daughter than with her. "Maxie is going to laugh her ass off. She always calls me the good girl." Georgie put the last two words in air quotes. "She is the one who likes the bad boys." Her sister was dating some weird artist at the moment.

"As for the feeling odd part, that goes away really quickly. The guys do their best to blend into the background." Liz let Georgie know. "It will also relax Milo."

"That's the other reason why I said yes. I know he worries." Georgie had to smile while saying that. It was nice that her guy didn't hide how he felt. "Okay." She would call her mom later today. "Renaldo will have someone to talk to when we go to lunch now." She said looking on the positive.

"Yup." Liz grinned turning back to her computer.

"Thanks. For noticing I needed to talk." Georgie liked that her boss was also her friend.

"You're welcome. Come in!" Liz yelled at the knock.

"Renaldo said to come back." Diane had come over right from the CPS building.

"What's up?" Liz asked the attorney.

"May I speak to you in private?" She smiled at Georgie. "Sorry."

"Not a problem." The younger brunette said grabbing her coffee mug. "I could use a refill, and I can work on my phone." She said exiting the room and closing the door.

"Is everything okay?" Liz asked as Diane sat in Georgie's vacated chair. She didn't have an extra chair in the room because she never had visitors.

"I just came from filing the initial adoption paperwork." Diane started there.

"Oh. Jason didn't say anything and I just talked to him." Liz had hung up and then asked Georgie about what was bothering her.

"I came here first because I wanted to talk to you." Diane was picking her words carefully. She wasn't worried about violating client privilege because this issue involved Liz as well.

"Is there a problem?" Liz wanted to know.

"Not at the moment, there is potentially a problem ahead and I wanted to brainstorm with you." Diane wheeled her chair a little closer. "As you know CPS is preparing to take a close look at Jason's life. One of the things they will be looking at is his arrest record. His very lengthy arrest record." The lawyer before Diane had a habit of letting Jason get booked. She rarely let the PCPD get that far.

"Oh." Liz said again and pursing her lips. "You are worried about how he will look in their eyes."

"I am. Jason has a lot of very positive things going for him, but his caseworker has admitted that the record is a very big black mark. One that I'm not sure he can totally erase. Which is fine, I am brilliant enough to work with that. My issue is that when they interview Jason he may not help the image that record portrays." Diane was going to drop some very big hints, because she hoped Liz was smart enough to pick up on them. "He's a great guy, you know that."

"But he doesn't do well with strangers, especially ones who come through the door asking questions." Liz crossed her arms over her chest. "They have to look at more than just that though."

"Yes, they do." Diane quickly agreed because Liz was moving in the right direction. "However the threat of spending a large chuck of Michael's life in prison is a very real one. If Jason is arrested Michael runs the risk of a going into the foster system, even though that stay would be extremely temporary." The agency would take custody of the child, and then turn him over to whoever Jason indicated. "I want to make sure that the good aspects of Jason's life are front and center. Right there where they can be seen and have an impact. You are the brightest light I have."

"As Michael's godmother?" Liz guessed her words would weigh heavy with CPS.

"Yes." Diane said smiling. "I mentioned that you had unlimited access to Michael. It would also help if you were willing to become a registered foster parent. That would mean taking a course run by CPS. That way Michael could be turned over to you right away, if necessary. Which realistically it won't be because I don't lose." She said tooting her own horn.

"Did you mention that we are dating?" Liz asked her visitor. Getting registered would not be a problem, if it was needed.

"No. I never give information until I absolutely have to." Diane let the younger woman know. "This meeting was to hand over the paperwork I had, well copies of the paperwork, and to file the official adoption request. In about two or three weeks you will be getting a request for an interview."

"Two weeks, that's good." Liz said nodding. "It won't interfere with our trip out of town. Jason needs the time away."

"I agree that he is long overdue for a vacation." Diane knew that Francis was also happy Jason was going away.

"I'll talk to Jason tonight." Liz told the attorney. "He mentioned that he knows he might not do so great with CPS. I've been thinking on that for a while now. I was just hoping you would say that he had been worried for nothing. Especially since this is what AJ and Carly want."

Diane liked hearing that Jason had been talking about this with Liz. She thought the artist was the best thing to happen to her client in a very long time. He needed a strong and secure woman in his life. One who could be a source of support for him because the life he, Francis, and the other guys led was not always an easy one. "Their wishes are going to be considered, I just wanted to make sure we were all on the same page." She would trust Liz to handle it from here.

"We are, thank you." Liz appreciated that Diane had come to see her.

"Okay, now I need to go see Jason." The attorney said getting to her feet. "I also wanted to thank you again for the signed comic for my nephew. His father said he is still in shock, which his hilarious."

"You're welcome. I'm glad I could help." Liz liked knowing her fans were happy. Diane left and Elizabeth turned her attention back to what she could do to help assure Jason got custody of Michael.

* * *

Renaldo walked down the hall to his apartment. Being on the same floor as Elizabeth made guarding her during the day easier. Now that Milo was officially assigned to Michael, Renaldo didn't even need to stay in the unit. Liz could just call him when she wanted to go out.

Yet that didn't stop him from hanging out all day today. Milo hadn't minded, the two of them had watched sports while the ladies all did their respective things. Well his friend had watched sports. He had spent the day watching Nadine, and trying not to be obvious about it.

She had a light and an energy that just drew him in. Being distracted on the job could lead to all types of problems. He knew that. Hormones were not usually something he was at the mercy of, but he hadn't ever in his life felt an attraction this strong. It was almost scary. He very much wanted to ask her out and see where this went.

But before he did that he was going to need to talk to his boss, and let them know that there was an issue. He'd rather be embarrassed admitting that he had fallen hard for the nanny, than to end up with Liz's blood on his hands. Most of the time they would probably not be going out with the nanny, but when they did he wasn't sure he could keep his mind where it needed to be.

And that was a problem.

So tomorrow he would go to the warehouse, and let the chips fall where they may.

* * *

Jason was standing in the doorway of Michael's nursery. The lights were off and the room was lit by the moonlight that filtered through the curtains. His nephew was sleeping soundly, and tonight he was going to stay in his room. Unless an issue cropped up.

This was his room, and Jason was going to make sure that this was where the little boy spent every night. No one was going to get in the way of the adoption. That included himself.

After Diane left his office Jason spent the better part of the afternoon trying to figure out what the best course of action was. He even considered asking Elizabeth to adopt Michael because she would wow CPS and things would go swimmingly. But to be honest he didn't want that. He wanted Michael to be his son, and that wasn't a slight on Elizabeth because she was going to be a big part of the little boy's life anyway.

So Jason had to figure out how he could impress CPS, and right now he kept coming back to one idea. Which was completely selfish of him to even consider. He was still thinking on it though.

"Is he okay?" Liz asked from her spot on the couch. They had heard a noise over the monitor and Jason went to go check.

"Yeah. He's sleeping soundly." Jason took a seat next to her and put his arm across the back of the couch. She instantly leaned against him and he smiled. "Thank you for cooking. It was my turn." She had cooked last night. He had been running late and offered to pick something up but she declined.

"I like cooking for you." Liz just liked taking care of him. Which brought to mind what she had been thinking about all afternoon. She looked up at him and answered the smile that was on his face with one of her own. "Jason?"

"Yeah baby?" He could look at her all day and never get tired of it.

"Will you marry me?" Elizabeth asked softly.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	25. Chapter 25

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

Not Safe For Work

* * *

Chapter 25

It was clear she had surprised him by the amount of silence that greeted her question. She didn't attempt to fill that quiet with a jumble of words, instead she just looked at him and waited for answer.

"You just asked me to marry you, didn't you?" He asked her knowing he hadn't misheard the question.

"I did." Elizabeth confirmed sitting up. "Would you like some time to think about it?" Although she would like a yes before she went to bed.

"Did Diane ask you to do this?" Jason wanted to know. His lawyer mentioned that she had spoken to Elizabeth.

"No, although our conversation confirmed for me that this is the right step to take. I've been thinking about this since we talked about you adopting Michael." Liz confessed to him.

"How would we explain suddenly getting married to CPS?" He wasn't going to ask her to break any laws for him. He wasn't sure if this would be seen as fraud or not. It did strike him how ironic this conversation was, because as he came down the steps this was the very thing he had been telling himself he could not ask Elizabeth to do so that he could adopt his nephew with less issues.

"Diane told me that she hasn't clarified my position in your life to the agency. They know I'm Michael's godmother, and that I'm in your life. That I've been in your life for years now. We could say that we've been involved for the past year or two, and they won't know any different." Liz explained how this would work.

"I don't lie well." He reminded her.

"I didn't say to tell them we were dating." She said with a smirk. "I said to tell them we were involved. Which is true. Emotionally we've been entangled since we met." As a teen she had been something of a terror after Sarah died. Liz had learned to lie with the best of them, thankfully her acting out had been a very short lived phase. It ended when it became clear that her parents had no intention of forgiving Steven. Liz straightened right out in hopes of helping that situation. "You haven't been linked to anyone in the press in years, and the public never cared about my social life. We can work with that."

"I don't want to take advantage of you." Jason never wanted to hurt her.

"Which is why you didn't suggest this even though you know it will work." She said smiling wide. "You weren't ever going to suggest it." She could see in his eyes that she was right. "I'm not proposing a marriage of convenience. I want a real marriage, and I want to legally become Michael's mother."

"What does a real marriage mean?" Jason could admit, if only to himself right now, that he wanted her to be his wife.

"It means you and me tackling life together. It means a partnership where we share the good and the bad. It means my not going downstairs at the end of the night, but going upstairs to our room. Until we move to the house you will have constructed for us." She tacked on still smiling. "It means us building a life together and maybe one day adding more children to our family. I'm talking go big or go home. All in, nothing less." She took a deep breath. "Michael isn't the reason I asked you. Not really. I don't think you need a a wife to impress CPS. I firmly believe that no matter what you are going to get to adopt that adorable little boy upstairs. I'm doing this for me. I have been falling in love with you for years, and I want to embrace that." She was putting it all out there.

Her courage left him in awe. She was opening her heart to him, and he had to respond in kind. "I told myself asking you to marry me would be selfish because I wouldn't really be doing it for Michael. He would benefit from it yes, but I would be asking you because it's what I want. Having you as my girlfriend is great, but I'm greedy." He said smiling wide. "I want more. I want you to be mine, and I don't want there to be any doubt about it. We haven't even been out on a real date, and we are talking about getting married." He said laughing.

"We can go on a date in Malibu. We even have a babysitter." Elizabeth smiled at him. Nadine already knew about the trip and that she was going. "California is a wonderful place for a honeymoon. So?" She asked cupping his check. "Will you marry me?"

"Yes." Jason said feeling deep inside him that this was the woman he was meant to share his life with. He was just fortunate that she felt it as strongly as he did. When she urged him forward he didn't fight it and let her lips cover his. "I love you Elizabeth." He wanted to be the first to say it because she had been brave enough to show him what was in her heart first.

"I love you too Jason. We are going to be happy." She said leaning her head on his shoulder. It wasn't always going to be easy. Which was fine because she wasn't looking for a fairytale. But they were going to make this work.

"Yes, we are." He agreed linking their fingers. "Will you stay here from now on?"

Liz just laughed. "Man we are doing everything out of order." He was asking her to move in, which she really liked. "I'd like to keep my place as an office. I'd rather not work from the penthouse." He didn't need the rent. "Or I can move to a smaller unit if you like."

"Penthouse two is vacant. It's only got three bedrooms and it's on the same side of the building as your place." Jason couldn't rent it out because it was a security risk to have a stranger so close to him. He had offered it to Francis, Johnny, and Cody all of whom said no thank you. He would love to know that Elizabeth was using it because this was the most secure floor in the building.

"Georgie can have her own office, and there would be a lot of room for Michael to play as he gets older." Liz could see how it would work. "The third bedroom could be a secondary nursery, and then bedroom when he gets bigger. "I'll go look at the light tomorrow."

"Tomorrow is perfect." Jason was better understanding what people meant when they said they felt like they were dreaming. He was getting everything he wanted. He wasn't expecting that everything would be easy, a lasting relationship took work. They also had Edward looming in the background. However Jason knew this was going to work. That he and Elizabeth would be together for the rest of their lives. "Tonight we should celebrate our engagement."

"I love that you are so smart, and that we are thinking exactly the same thing." She said with a wide smile.

"I went to the store." He wanted her to know. It had been his first stop on the way to work yesterday morning. Marco had waited in his car while his boss went in to shop.

"You still want to use condoms?" She asked surprised. Since they were officially engaged she figured they would be skipping that step.

"Yeah." Jason nodded and actually blushed a little. "I really want to be with you, I have for a long time now. I also haven't been with anyone in a while, which I told you. So my control is shot." He confessed on a small laugh. "If I don't use a condom this going to be over before we really get started, as it is it might short." He was on the edge just having this conversation. "I'll get better the more we are together."

"I'm not looking for you to draw things out tonight." She said being honest with him. "Short and to the point sounds perfect to me. I'm kinda on the edge myself. I have been since you first kissed me. But I already know something, would you like for me to share what that is with you?" She asked leaning closer.

"Yeah." He answered on a husky whisper, she was destroying what little control he was clinging to.

"When we get upstairs it's going to be amazing. Every time we are together, no matter how long or short, how fast or slow it's going to be incredible." She was close enough that she could feel his breath on her skin. "Because you Jason Morgan, were made just for me."

He growled as his mouth crashed down on hers. Taking her on the couch was looking really good, but then he remembered the condoms were upstairs. He was done though, he needed her upstairs and naked right this instant. "Upstairs." He said when he pulled his lips from hers.

"Absolutely." Liz said in total agreement. He stood up and when he scooped her into his arms she took the opportunity to kiss his neck and nibble on his earlobe since they were both right there. In what was now their room he put her down beside the bed and she tugged his shirt out of his pants so he could pull it over his head.

His hands were doing the same thing and he had to pause when her bra came into view. "You are going to make this as hard as possible aren't you?" She was killing him slowly. Red lace was vibrant against her pale skin, and he very much wanted to know if the bottoms matched.

"I think it's already hard." She said with a wicked grin as her hand moved down to cover his erection which was straining the zipper on his jeans.

Jason dropped his forehead against hers and breathed deeply. If he was shaking this hard from her touching him over his clothes there was no way he would survive what was coming next. He needed to pull it together though so that he could make her feel as good as she was making him feel.

With his mouth back on hers he tumbled them down onto the bed so that he was over her. When she opened her legs he fit himself in the cradle of her thighs and started to rock. He felt the vibration from the deep moan she let out and that just pushed him to rock faster. While his hips were moving his hands were opening the front clasp of that amazing bra and when her breasts were free he covered her and groaned harshly at the fact that she was a perfect handful.

"Jason." Elizabeth pulled her mouth from his to draw in air as her whole body shook when her climax rolled through her. He had pushed her to the edge and over without even removing her pants. Looked like her prediction on the couch was being proven correct.

Jason rolled to his back so he could open the drawer of his nightstand. His hand was closing over the box of condoms as Elizabeth's hand popped the top button on his jeans. "No." He said covering her hand to stop her. He started laughing. "You have to keep your hands to yourself. Undress for me." He would enjoy watching that.

There wasn't much left for her to take off, but Liz rolled to her knees and unsnapped her jeans then pushed them over her hips. She had to go back down to the bed to kick them off, and since she was on the bed her socks went next. She had adopted her boyfriend's habit of walking around without shoes on so they were not in the way. That left her just in her lace boy shorts. "Keep going?"

"Yes." Jason's eyes were moving over her body. The more skin she exposed the hotter he burned. He didn't take his gaze off of her as he too shed his pant, socks, and his boxer briefs. He ripped the foil packet open and rolled the latex down his rigid shaft. Foreplay was over. "Come here."

Liz, also now as bare as her guy, crawled over to where he was lying and let her eyes roam over his body. Oh my, all her good behavior was certainly being rewarded. Jason's body was magnificent, and it was all hers. As her lips came over his he rolled them and the feel of all of his skin moving against hers was pure bliss.

"This is just the beginning." He needed for to know.

"Of a lifetime of love." Liz knew what was in his heart, because the same was in hers.

He kept his eyes on hers as he pushed inside her waiting body. He didn't rush this joining, because he wanted them both to remember this. Her hand found his and when their fingers were joined he placed them over her head to give himself leverage. His free hand was on her hip lifting her into him. He hadn't ever in his life felt anything this amazing. As he was pulling out and sinking back inside Elizabeth it struck him why he felt that way. This was making love. This is what it felt like to share intimacy with the person you were destined for. It wasn't just physical. It was emotional and mental as well. He would never find this with anyone else.

Elizabeth arched hard as Jason slid deep inside her. He was hitting all the right spots inside her body. Places she didn't even know were erogenous zones were being stimulated. She wanted to tell him how amazing it felt to be here with him. How she felt more connected to him than she'd ever felt to another person. But words were failing her. All she could do was gasp in delight, whimper in ecstasy, and moan in pleasure. The man was going to ruin her for anyone else which is how it should be.

Jason wasn't going to last much longer. It was just too good, but he was determined that she was going come again. He could tell she was enjoying herself, Elizabeth had been making noises since they started making love. Dipping his head he captured a beaded nipple in his mouth and sucked hard.

"Oh my god!" Elizabeth yelled as she fisted her fingers in his hair. She was strung tight and this added sensation pushed her closer to exploding. Her body was slick with sweat as she tried to hold back, but when she felt his fingers moving over the bundle of nerves at her center she couldn't fight it any longer. With another deep moan she fell into bliss.

Her inner muscles clamped down on his cock and Jason was unable to stop himself from erupting. "YES!" He shouted letting the power of his release move from where they were joined through the rest of his body. Her fingers were still intertwined with his and that made him smile. It seemed to symbolize that from this moment forward nothing would break them apart.

He was breathing hard when he pulled from the tight clasp of her body and stretched out beside her. He had to let her go, but once he was lying down his hand once again sought hers out. "You okay?"

"Wow!" Liz said breathing hard. She was tingly and grinning wide. "Short works for us." Although yeah she was curious as to what they could bring out in one another with more time. "That was…yeah." She said laughing.

"I agree." Jason was grinning like a fool. "I'm glad you enjoyed yourself."

"Enjoyed is an understatement. I may need to break out the dictionary to find a word that does what just transpired justice." Liz looked over at him and smiled wider. "I had no idea I was multi-orgasmic with another person."

"You are going to need to explain that statement." He said getting hot again.

"It's been awhile, and I'm a healthy young woman." Liz said as her grin took a naughty edge. "Sometimes a girl just needs to take matters into her own hands." She said dropping him a wink.

"I may need to see that, so I can get some pointers on what technique you like." Jason bet that was sexy as hell.

"I'll show you mine if you show me yours." Liz was not shy in the bedroom, but she generally wasn't this bold either. There were parts of herself she didn't share, but with Jason she wasn't going to hold anything back. She was pleased that it sounded like he wasn't going to hide any of himself as well.

"Deal." Jason said laughing. "Come here, you are too far away." He moved his arm and she cuddled close putting her head on his shoulder. "I think I might put one of those mini fridges in the corner. I'll stock it with water so we can stay hydrated." He was thirsty.

"Sports drinks, for the electrolytes." Liz said making a change.

"Even better." Jason said loving how she felt against him. Her skin was as soft as Michael's, which brought the little boy to mind. The monitor was on but honestly Jason would not have heard anything. His was too focused on Elizabeth.

"I won't mind if you go check." She said looking at Jason through her lashes.

"Reading my mind?" Jason wanted to know.

"No. I have the same urge." Liz admitted kissing his shoulder.

That right there let Jason know she was who both he and Michael needed. "I'll be right back. While I'm out I'll get us both something to drink."

"I'll be here when you get back." Liz said enjoying watching him walk into the bathroom. When he was done she would go in and clean up.

* * *

She was in his shirt when he came back with two bottles of water. "You look better in that than I do." He said handing her a drink.

"I am enjoying you in just those jeans." Liz said eating him up with her eyes. The top button of his pants was undone and for some reason that was ridiculously sexy. "How is Michael?"

"Asleep." Jason said sitting next to her on the bed. "I want to get you a ring tomorrow. What stone do you want?"

"When you look at the rings pick the one that belongs on my finger. You'll know it when you see it. I'm a size six and a half." She didn't really care what the ring looked like, it would be from him which was the important part.

"I can do that." Jason said finishing his drink. When she put her bottle on the nightstand he shucked his jeans, and turned out the lights. "Get some rest, so I can ravish you again in a few hours. Over breakfast we can start talking about wedding details."

"Best plan I've heard in a long time." Liz said as Jason spooned up and put his arm around her waist. She was home was her last thought before sleep overtook her.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	26. Chapter 26

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 26

He saw his three friends standing in the reception area of Francis's office so he joined them. The executive assistant was not in at the moment and they were discussing a shipment.

"Well aren't you chipper." Johnny said looking over at Jason who was sporting a full smile. "Did you have an extra cup of coffee before leaving the house?"

"Nope." Jason was excited to share his news. When he got to his office he would call Emily and let her know. Cody would offer to call Skye, but Jason could do that too. "I got engaged last night."

"Come again." Cody said looking at his boss.

"I'm getting married. Tomorrow night." Jason said trying not to laugh. The guys had been struck mute. "This is where you offer me congratulations." He said giving up and laughing. He couldn't remember the last time Johnny had been at a loss for words.

"To whom?" Francis asked breaking the silence.

"Elizabeth." Jason said like it was obvious.

"Holy shit, you aren't wasting any time are you?" Johnny simply hadn't seen this coming right now, in a year yes, but he was thrilled.

"He has wasted way too much time already." Francis pointed out starting to smile. "He should have asked Liz out the day after she broke up with that asshole Keenan."

"Congratulations." Cody said sticking out his hand. "Have you told your sister?" He meant Skye.

"We have only told Diane." The lawyer had walked through the door of the penthouse this morning with a marriage license in her hand, and smile on her face. Jason felt this huge sense of pride that he could say Elizabeth was going to be his wife. "I still need to call my sisters."

Cody got the message that his boss wanted to be the one to break the news.

"Wait, did you say tomorrow night?" Johnny just looked at his friend.

"We don't want anything big, and neither one of us sees any reason to wait. Also it will look good to be married before CPS comes to talk to us." Jason did feel like he was robbing Elizabeth of her moment in the spotlight. She explained to him that what was important was the marriage, not the ceremony. Then she mentioned that in the last year every big wedding held in the city had been interrupted. Everything from returned from the dead wives to bombs. She wasn't tempting fate.

"Congratulations. No one thinks that this is because of Michael." Francis wanted Jason to know. "We." He pointed to himself, Johnny, and Cody. "Knew you would end up here when you finally pulled your head out of your ass. Please tell me you told her that you are in love with her when you asked her to marry you. She deserves to know that."

"She asked me." Jason told them.

"Damn." Johnny slapped his friend on the back. "Congrats. She is way too good for you."

"You can tell me how to deal with that, right?" Jason asked giving as good as he got.

"I can." Johnny knew he didn't deserve Gia.

"If he can't I can." Cody still was trying to figure out how the hell he ended up with Skye.

"I'm totally worthy of Diane." Francis said with a straight face knowing it wasn't true. "What can we do to help?"

"I need to make a lot of calls." Jason looked at his friends. "My name has more pull, so it's just easier if I do it." He would be able to get everything they needed because the name Morgan made people jump. "I would appreciate some help making sure I don't miss anything, so I need to make a list." He'd never thrown a party in his life. "I have time to do that before the jewelry store opens. Then I can make the calls when I get back."

Johnny already had his phone out. "Can you take a client right now, for a rush job?" He asked the person on the other end of the line. "Tomorrow." The Irishman listened. "Not a problem. Thanks. He'll be over in about fifteen minutes." He ended the call. "Go see my tailor and get fitted for your tuxedo. We will handle the calls, except one. Call Skye from the car, we are going to need her help."

"She has couture dresses on hand." Francis said nodding knowing what Johnny was talking about. Skye would have stock for photoshoots. Diane could get Liz a dress but it would need to be shipped in.

"From the tailor Marco can drive you over to the jewelers. Although I'm going on record as saying you are missing a prime opportunity. Liz asked you, so technically she should be getting you a ring." Johnny said to be a smartass. "You should use this moment to set a trend."

Cody just pushed his friend. "Go ahead we got this." Jason talking to a lot of people would leave him frustrated, which they didn't want.

"Thanks. Leave something for me to do." He said before going to get Marco.

The three friends just looked at one another all sporting wide grins. "We need to plan something amazing for Liz." Francis told his friends. 'It can still be small, but she should have a day to remember."

"She should." Johnny agreed so happy for his friends. "You up to it?" He asked looking at Cody.

"I'm a Marine, wedding planning will be cake." He said not having a clue what was involved.

"Come into the office. We need to make a list." Francis told the other two men.

* * *

"Hello?" Skye was already in her office as well. She liked to come in early and take advantage of the quiet.

"Hey, it's Jason." He was doing as instructed. He would start with Skye because she was here. "I have some news to share."

"Good news I hope." Skye asked sitting on her desk. Like everyone else she was waiting for Edward to make a move. She was going to do her best to not stress, because it wasn't good for the baby.

"The best. I'm getting married." Jason said smiling, the look on Marco's face had the mob boss snickering. "To Elizabeth." He added on before his sister could ask.

"Yes!" Skye said doing a fist pump. "When and how can I help?" She was thinking it would be soon, but the answer still had her jaw dropping.

"Tomorrow night." Jason told her. "I have no idea what you can do, your boyfriend, Johnny, and Francis took over the planning. So you should probably call them."

"I certainly will." Skye said so happy for both her brother and her friend. It was obvious to anyone who looked that they were in love with one another, so she wasn't surprised that they were taking this step now. "Congratulations. I'm hanging up. First to call Liz and then my guy." She said understanding that they were burning daylight.

"Thanks." Jason was surrounded by support which felt amazing. He ended the call knowing they would talk more later.

"Congrats." Marco said grinning. He really liked Liz.

"Thanks. I need to make another call real quick." Jason had no idea where Johnny's tailor was located. "Do I have time?"

"Yup." Marco said making a left, he would take the long way.

Jason dialed another number. This call might go to voicemail, but he hoped not. "Hello."

"Hello yourself. Is everything okay?" Emily asked looking at the clock. She was in the car with Matt and they were heading into the hospital. Normally her brother didn't call this early.

"Everything is great, I'm getting married." Jason did feel bad springing this on Em because there was a good chance she wouldn't be able to make it.

"Seriously. You better say Elizabeth is your future wife or I will hurt you when I see you next." Emily told him, meaning every single word.

"Yes, to Elizabeth." Jason confirmed for his sister. "Tomorrow night. I'm sorry for the short notice."

Emily was smiling because the universe was being good to her. "You don't need to be, Matt and I will be there to watch you exchange vows. We are both have tomorrow, and the weekend, off." She saw the confused look on her husband's face and would explain everything when she got off the phone. "So thank you for picking that day."

"I'll send the plane for you tonight." Jason told his sister.

"Make it late flight. Matt won't be out of surgery until around ten." Emily would go home when her day was over and pack for both of them. "I'm so happy for you, and I cannot wait to tell that to Liz."

"Thanks. Your support means everything." His sister didn't know Liz well, but she trusted him enough to want this for him.

"I love you Jase, and she makes you glow." Emily told him what she saw.

"I have to go." They were in front of the shop. "I'll see you tomorrow morning."

"You certainly will." Emily said hanging up and letting out a whoop of joy before explaining to Matt why they were taking a trip to Port Charles tonight.

* * *

"So I have news to share." Liz was in her kitchen with Georgie.

"Really I never would have guessed." The fellow brunette deadpanned. "You were practically bouncing off the walls when I walked in a few minutes ago."

"I'm getting married." Liz said before she burst.

"Shut up!" Georgie said clapping and then giving her friend a hard hug. "When?" She looked for a ring and then looked up at Liz. Asking to whom wasn't necessary.

"Jason is getting the ring today. The ceremony is going to be tomorrow night." Liz told her friend. "So this morning I was wondering if you would be willing to play hooky from work and go shopping with me. I need a dress, off the rack. Not the big poufy gown, but something elegant."

"I'm totally down for skipping work and shopping." Georgie said opening the cabinet and getting down two travel mugs since they would be no doubt heading out shortly. "I guess I don't have to pack now." She had been slated to go on the trip to California because Liz planned on doing some work.

"You're still coming." Liz said leaning against the island.

"You are not planning on working on your honeymoon are you?" Georgie asked surprised.

"No." Liz said shelving those plans. "Milo is going to be gone for like nine days. So you can come with us. My place is huge, we will not be tripping over one another."

"I'll come on one condition." Georgie was going to use this to her advantage. "I'm your assistant. Not just your executive assistant, but your personal assistant as well. You pay me to do both jobs, but you never ask me to do anything for you. I don't think you asking me to pick something up from the store for you is me being taken advantage of." Georgie also knew that Liz wasn't going to call her at two a.m., like Kate often did to Maxie. "From this point forward you need to accept that. If I go to California I expect to work, so that you can just hang out with your guy. I also expect that you will let me do both jobs when we return home."

Liz had to smile. She had so many people in her life who cared for her. "Deal. You will love Malibu."

"I think you are right. I looked it up online, the beaches are gorgeous." Georgie was proud of herself. She liked working for Liz, and she liked that she could speak her mind to her boss. "I'm looking forward to taking strolls with Milo once Michael is in bed."

"You will not be disappointed." Liz promised her friend. The smile on her face got wider when Skye walked into the kitchen. The redhead simply came over and hugged her soon to be sister.

"Congratulations." Skye said blinking back tears. The hormones were killing her, but she would rather cry over everything than have morning sickness. "Does Grandmother know yet?"

"No. Jason is coming to get me later this afternoon, and we are going over to her office to tell her. I'm hoping she can sneak out of the house and come to the ceremony. I'd like her to see us exchange vows." Liz explained how she was going to spend part of her day.

"If anyone can sneak out of the mansion undetected it is Grandmother." Skye was sure Lila would be in attendance. "I spoke to Cody before coming over and he asked me to assist you with a dress."

"Cody?" Liz asked wondering what he had to do with her wedding.

"Apparently the guys took over planning the evening from Jason." Skye couldn't wait to see how this turned out.

"I'm going to guess that includes Johnny and Francis." Liz said laughing. "Is it wrong that I'm not the least bit worried about what they will do?" She trusted them that much.

"Johnny has expensive taste." Georgie said also wondering what the wedding would look like. "So if nothing else everything will be high end."

"Francis has done this, and he had Diane with him. So you know it will be fantastic." Skye reassured her friend. "Besides you will be the only bride who can say three mobsters planned your wedding."

"Alleged." Both Liz and Georgie said at the same time which made all three ladies laugh.

"I know the perfect place to go for gowns." Skye wasn't going to pull from the Deception storeroom unless she absolutely had to. "What color are you wearing, and what color are you putting Georgie in?"

"Me?" Georgie looked at Skye. "Liz hasn't asked me to stand up with her." Which the young woman did not see as an insult.

"Now that Skye has brought it up." Liz looked at Georgie. "I was about to ask you, but we got interrupted by my almost sister."

"I would love to stand up with you. I won't be upset if you'd rather have Skye. I just want you to know that." Georgie looked between the two women.

"Nope, it needs to be you. Sorry." Liz said with a cheeky grin. "I have no idea about colors. I'm open to pretty much anything. I'd like to avoid pure white if I can. We should call Diane if we are going shopping."

"Absolutely." Skye said nodding. "I got so carried away with the happy I forgot to tell you that Emily and Matt will be in attendance." Skye wasn't sure Liz knew. Her sister had called screaming with happiness as Skye was leaving Deception headquarters.

"Great." Liz was pleased that both doctors could make it. "No one from my family will be able to make it." If they had more warning her parents would have come, she knew that. Steven might not have because of their parents being in attendance. "In fact I'm waiting for them to call me back so I can tell them I'm eloping."

"Will that go well?" Georgie wanted to know. She needed to update her friend about how her talk with her mother went. Frisco and Robert were not going to be an issue, that promise came from Anna.

"Yes. My parents want me happy, and my mother will hear in my voice that I am. I don't think they will be surprised that I eloped either. Hopefully after we return from California they will fly to New York. If not then maybe Jason and I can fly to Landstuhl later in the year." Liz also knew her parents would adore her soon to be hubby, because of how happy he made her. Her parents were six hours ahead of her so they were already out of the house. "Let me tell the guys my news, and that we are going out."

The other ladies followed Liz into the living room. Renaldo, Milo, Hank, and Lee were watching television, but turned it off when they came in. Nadine was on the floor with Michael who was getting in some tummy time. "I have some news to share."

"Yes?" Renaldo asked speaking for everyone. He had been curious about why Cody's lady was here.

"Jason and I are getting married tomorrow night." Liz said smiling wide. She couldn't help but smile when she said that.

"Congratulations." Renaldo said returning her smile. He wasn't surprised.

"Congratulations." Milo said smiling as well. He wasn't surprised either.

"Congratulations Ms. Webber." Lee added on. He was surprised, because he had no idea his boss was even dating.

"Congratulations." Hank said, he was in the same boat as Lee.

"Congratulations." Nadine smiled at Liz. The nanny wasn't really clear on what the relationship between her two bosses was. She did see the spark of attraction whenever they were together, and would have said they were dating if asked, but Nadine had no idea how serious things were between them. The couple was extremely discreet when they weren't alone.

"We need to go out and do some shopping. Nadine will you be okay if I leave for a few hours?" Liz wanted to know. Later when she was visiting with Lila, Georgie would be in the apartment. However right now Liz was about to leave Nadine with two men who were virtually strangers. Not that they would hurt her, but Liz just didn't want the other woman uncomfortable.

"I'll be fine." Nadine assured her boss. She had quickly come to realize that the men who worked for Jason treated the women around them with old fashioned courtesy.

"Actually you will need a dress, so maybe you should come with us." Liz didn't expect Nadine to sit in her apartment alone while the party was going on. The ceremony and dinner that followed would be late enough that Michael would sleep through them both. He could be put in his portable crib wherever they went.

"If you are feeling brave I can pick something for you." Skye offered. Nadine would be easy to shop for based on her coloring.

"I have a uniform for formal events." Nadine could wear that.

"Jason mentioned that. I went online and looked it up." The first thing that came to mind when Liz saw it was Mary Poppins. "You won't be wearing that, probably ever. A nice dress will be fine."

"I can shop later in the day, unless I'm needed while you do more wedding things." Nadine told Liz.

"When is the ceremony?" Renaldo wanted to know.

"Tomorrow night." Liz told her guard.

"Okay." Renaldo wasn't surprised by the speed at which this would happen. Neither were the other guards. It did mean he should talk to Jason soon.

Nadine guessed they were eloping. "I have some nice items in my closet I'm sure one of them will be fine." Her things had arrived yesterday afternoon and she spent the evening decorating her new home.

"Then that's settled. I need to grab my bag and then we can get going." Liz said heading for the office. "I'll grab your purse too Georgie."

"Thanks." Georgie said grinning. This was turning out to be the best day. At some point she needed to go out and get a gift from her and Milo. "I'll call Ian and tell ask him to meet me downstairs." He didn't just hang out because she wasn't comfortable with that.

Liz was back quickly and after a kiss for Michael the group headed to the elevators. On the drive to the shop Skye was taking them too Liz would try to envision what she wanted to wear. That way they weren't flying blind. This was the first of her activities as a bride to be. In less than thirty-six hours she was going to join her life to Jason's. She couldn't wait.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	27. Chapter 27

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 27

The ladies were smiling when they stepped off the elevator to find Monica in the lobby. The doctor was standing in front of the security desk which meant she was attempting to sign in to go upstairs. Liz used the word attempting because Monica's expression gave the impression she wasn't having much luck getting past that point.

"I'm guessing she is here to see Michael." Skye said looking over at where her stepmother was talking with the guard.

Liz didn't want to deal with Jason's mother. The older woman probably came now because her son would be at work. It was a typical move by a member of the Quartermaine family. Instead of apologizing to her son she was going to try to just go around him. Despite not wanting to do so, the artist walked over. "Monica."

"Elizabeth." Monica said feeling instantly uncomfortable. She hadn't expected to see the younger woman standing in front of her. Since it was business hours Monica figured just the nanny would be here. "I have the day off, so I thought I would come over and see if we could talk." Which wasn't true. She wanted to see Michael.

"I'm actually on my way out." Liz told the older woman, not for a minute believing the visit was about her. "So now is not a good time."

Monica looked over and saw the small group that was waiting for Liz. "Could I maybe come over tomorrow?" Monice wanted to know if anyone would be home.

"I'm actually going to be busy tomorrow as well." Liz knew it sounded like she was being a bitch, but she really wasn't going to have time to talk with her future mother in-law. "If you'd like to see Michael I'm sure Jason can arrange a time for that to happen." Liz wasn't going to let Monica anywhere near the baby without his permission. "He's at work, you can reach him at his office." If she had the number.

"I'll call him there." Monica said understanding that seeing Michael wasn't going to happen. With nothing left to say the doctor walked away.

Liz rejoined her group. "I told her to call Jason. I just don't feel right letting her see Michael, without Jason knowing before the visit happens."

"You did the right thing." Skye said as they walked to the garage elevator. "Monica and I are doing better these days, but I don't agree with her just showing up here. Especially since she hasn't apologized for how she's been treating you."

"Indifference is easier to deal with that the flat out hostility Carly lived with. Also I don't need an apology, I don't see Monica and I becoming close." Liz said as the three ladies got into the SUV. Elizabeth took out her phone and sent Jason a text about what just transpired.

* * *

He was walking down the hall to Francis's office when his phone buzzed. Jason retrieved the device and read the message from Elizabeth. He wasn't surprised that his mother stopped by unannounced. Alan wouldn't try to get access to his grandson until Monica had tested the waters and succeeded. Jason put them out of his mind, he would turn his attention to the Quartermaines once he returned from California. "So what trouble have you three been getting into?" Jason wanted to know.

"We may have found a new career for Cody." Johnny said with a grin. "He's really enjoying getting the chance to threaten people about what time the cake must be ready."

"I have not threatened anyone." The enforcer said defending himself. "I just made sure the person I talked to understood that when I said I wanted everything delivered by six, I meant six, not six oh five."

Francis was on the phone but he was still grinning at the conversation taking place in the office.

"Father Coates is going to perform the ceremony at seven. He wasn't available before then due to basketball practice." Johnny started the rundown of what they had accomplished. "The food is coming from Polluzo's catering division. They are going to send Liz a menu and she can make selections. Her taste is better than yours, if we leave it up to you we will all be eating burgers. Dessert was proving to be really complicated, so there will be wedding cake and I placed an insanely large candy order. Skye called Elton, he is going to oversee setting up the space and putting together the candy bar where guests can help themselves to assorted sweets. He is also going to arrange hair and makeup for the ladies."

"Alcohol is on order, and Jeff over at the No Name is sending two employees to work that area. Waiters are coming from Polluzo's. The various staff members normally would have the night off, so they are all being paid double time." Cody said looking at his list. "Yes, there will be cake. Five tiers, all chocolate with strawberry filling and chocolate buttercream. No topper, but some sugar lilies cascading down the side. I went with a square cake, you might have time to change that if you want." The former solider told his boss. "I also got music. The same folks that worked Francis's wedding. They were between gigs."

"I wasn't gone that long." Jason said impressed.

"The big hold up with weddings is the dress." Francis said hanging up the phone. "It generally takes about six months to get the damn thing in and then alterations need to happen." He shook his head. It had taken Diane almost four months to find a gown that passed muster, after that they were able to actually pick a date. "It helped that we could get most of what was needed from businesses you own. I need a list of who you want to come. I was talking to Georgie. She will have Liz's list for me before lunch."

"So where are we having the wedding?" Jason asked looking at his friends. Venues could be another issue. He remembered that from his brother's wedding.

"My house." Francis told his boss. Diane had called her husband after he sent her a message asking if she could have the license by tomorrow. Her answer that she'd had it since the Monday after Michael arrived had him grinning. His wife was often one step ahead of everyone else. She was the one to point out that they had more than enough room to host what no doubt would be a fairly small wedding.

"Thank you." Jason appreciated that his friends would open their home for the occasion.

"Liz needs to give her okay." Francis said sitting on the edge of his desk. "If she'd rather not have the ceremony and reception there, I'm sure your grandmother will have some suggestions after you guys share the news. Once I have a guest tally I can call around to rent table, chairs, and such." They had pulled this together in record time. "I feel like we are missing something though." Francis said frowning.

"Person to marry Liz and Jason. Music. Food. Booze. Places to sit." Johnny said going down the list. "What else do we need?"

"Pictures." Cody said looking at the guys with a grin. "Let me call Elton back, he'll know who to contact about that."

"Brains, and he's pretty." Johnny had totally spaced on the photographer. "No wonder we keep him around."

Cody flipped his friend off while he listened to the phone ring.

Jason just looked at his friends. He had lost his biological brother last week, but he had three more brothers standing in this room with him. A fact that he was very much aware of. "Did you guys decide who was going to be standing up with me?"

"Nope. We can't do all the work for you." Francis told his friend. "Don't be lazy." He said laughing.

"Elton will book a photographer." He opened a newly arrived text message. "The ladies have just arrived at the boutique. Diane is meeting them there." Cody passed along. "So who is going to be your best man? Skye said Georgie is standing up with Liz."

"I have no idea." Jason said shaking his head.

"I'm letting you use my house." Francis pointed out.

"I'm the best looking. Think of the pictures." Johnny said with a smile.

"I'm giving you a niece or nephew." Cody said feeling smug. That one would be hard to top.

"He's not impressed with your kid now that he's got one of his own." Johnny pointed out.

"Okay, then he should pick me because I'm dating his sister." Cody said once again flipping off Johnny.

"Good point. Cody gets the nod." Jason told the guys.

"I want to get paid for my hard work over the last hour then." Johnny said deliberately being difficult.

"Diva." Francis said happy to have something to celebrate. It was good to see Jason smile.

"Yup." Johnny agreed. "I'm going to do some real work now. Call me if you need anything else." He said heading out to his office.

"I guess that we all need to work now that Johnny is going to do it. Otherwise he'll never let us live that down." Cody said with a grin. "I'll put my tux in the cleaners at lunch." He said before setting out.

"You can bug out if you want." Francis couldn't think for shit the day before his wedding.

"I'll do the shipping schedule so you don't have to." Jason found it oddly relaxing. "Thanks again for everything you guys did today." He had been dreading the calls.

"You're welcome. Go so my assistant can come in and glare at me because I haven't done anything productive this morning." Francis said sitting behind his desk.

Jason went down the hall and took the messages Angie was holding out. He would get something done before leaving to get Elizabeth.

* * *

"So what have you decided on?" Diane asked as they walked to the back. The lawyer had just arrived.

"The color of Georgie's dress." Liz replied as they followed the consultant to that section of the boutique. She hadn't ever shopped in the store before, in fact she didn't even know it was here. Skye had been greeted by name, so Liz knew the appointment would go well. Diane got the same greeting. "We spent most of the time after we arrived here working on the guest list. Thank you for letting us invade your house."

"You are most welcome." Diane was happy they could help. "You are welcome to stay over tonight if you like so that you can be there when the crew sets up. I want everything to be to your liking."

"Elton has volunteered to handle set up." Skye told her friend. "He is also arranging hair and makeup."

"It will be flawless then. Skye he's worth his weight in gold." Diane often had drinks with Elton, the man was a riot. "What color will Georgie be in?"

"Pink." Liz said taking in the gowns. The choice had been a no brainer, Milo loved her in the soft hue.

"Depending on the dress I have shoes and accessories that will work at home." Georgie was also looking at the options. While they were waiting Liz had asked her to be honest about what she did and did not like. Georgie was really low maintenance, like her boss, so this should be easy.

"Straps, high neck, bare shoulders." Skye said holding out a gown before putting it back. "What are you thinking?"

"I think we should pull a variety and then Georgie can give us a fashion show." Liz did her best model pose. "Whichever dress gets the most votes wins."

"I think you have that wrong. The dress you like the best wins." Georgie countered holding out a gown. "How about this one?" It was floor length gown in pale pink with thick straps.

"I like that." Liz nodded and the consultant took it. "I think we should each pick one." Diane and Skye had amazing fashion sense and they would do great at this.

"This is my choice." Diane was holding a short pale pink gown with a sheer lace yolk.

"That's pretty." Liz could see Georgie in that.

"What about this?" Liz asked holding up a knee length dress with spaghetti straps.

"Georgie has fantastic legs." Diane thought Milo would love that one.

"This is my choice. I went with strapless since no one else picked one." Skye's selection was the palest pink of the bunch and lovely.

"Very nice." Liz gave her approval. "Okay Georgie it's time to work the catwalk."

"Somehow I don't see Skye offering me a job at the end of this outing." Georgie said as they headed to the changing room. Before they even made it to the elevator after leaving Liz's apartment, it was pointed out that they needed heels. So they each grabbed a pair. Georgie slipped hers on and tried on the dress Liz picked.

As she came out not only did Liz, Skye, and Diane look over each garment, they also snapped a picture. When all four looks had been modeled Georgie joined them again in her street clothes. "The lighting in here is not the best." Liz said looking at the pictures. "How did you feel in the dresses?" She asked as they scrolled through the photos.

"The one Diane picked left me feeling a little naked. It was wonderful." She quickly added on. "I'm just not used to skirts that short."

"I must admit that I thought it would be longer." Diane understood what the younger woman was saying.

"Would it be egotistical to say I liked Georgie best in the gown I picked?" Skye wanted to know.

Liz went back to that photo. "No, because I liked her best in that one too." The strapless gown had a sweetheart bust line that was lightly beaded to give it just the right amount of sparkle. The waist was accented with a ribbon tied off to the side. The flared skirt with tulle overlay finished off the garment with a hemline that stopped just below Georgie's knees.

"I really liked that one." Georgie had felt beautiful in it. "I can use that again as well."

"It's a classic look that will never go out of style. You looked stunning." Diane added on. "So we should move onto Liz."

They followed the consultant to the bridal section and once again began looking through the racks. "I love this." Liz said pulling a dress. It was also pink, a bit darker than Georgie's dress. "Do you think I could wear this?"

"It's your wedding." Diane answered her friend. "If you want to wear blue jeans then you should. Jason will be thrilled with whatever you choose, and you two are the only ones whose opinions matter. I will say this, even if you don't want that for the wedding, you should purchase it because you would slay in that."

"It's a very modern look for a bride." Skye said giving the dress the once over. "I'm going to say no because it doesn't stand up to Georgie's dress. I do agree that you should get it anyway."

"Okay." Liz handed it to the consultant, she was going to buy it and take it to California for that date she discussed with Jason. "Let's continue with the hunt!"

* * *

With his charge back in her apartment Renaldo drove over to the warehouse. The ladies had emerged from the boutique with several garment bags and wide smiles. So he took that to mean they had been successful in finding what they were after. Now they were in Liz's apartment cooing over Michael and waiting for the lunch they ordered to arrive.

Parking he headed up to Jason's office. He had called ahead and his boss said it was fine to stop by. When Renaldo asked that Cody, Johnny, and Francis join them Jason had been silent for a few seconds but agreed. Renaldo only wanted to say this once.

Angie wasn't at her desk, but the door was open so he walked in. Everyone was already waiting. "Have a seat." Jason pointed to the empty chair. They were going to talk in the sitting area of the office. "What's up?" He asked his guard. He was wondering if Renaldo was about to serve notice. Quitting wasn't allowed under Sonny, but Jason wasn't going to force anyone to stay if they were unhappy.

"I need to be reassigned." Renaldo just spit the words out.

"Why?" Cody asked taking over. Even though Kyle was head of the guards reassignments needed to be approved by Cody. Johnny would do it if the enforcer wasn't available.

"I can't focus around Nadine." Renaldo said looking each of his bosses in the eye. He wasn't going to hide. The reaction that statement got was not the one he was expecting. Johnny simply burst out laughing. It was also clear Jason was trying not to laugh as well. Cody was grinning and Francis just looked bemused.

"It's you and Diane all over again." Johnny said when he calmed down.

Renaldo turned surprised eyes to the older man. When Diane first moved here Francis was her guard for a few weeks then he got reassigned. None of the other guys knew why though. They figured it had something to do with his promotion to head of security. Them going out a few weeks later didn't tip anyone off either. Several guys had been interested in the attorney.

"Thank you for being honest." Jason respected that Renaldo would come forward.

"How bad is it?" Johnny wanted to know.

"My gaze wonders. I'm not sure this going to get better, there is something about Nadine that shakes me. So Liz needs a better guard." Renaldo told them why he came over.

"She needs a different guard." Jason's change of wording was deliberate. Renaldo was still an outstanding guard. "Who do we have?"

"She should have someone pretty high up." Cody said thinking out loud. "I can swap Kyle for Renaldo. Or I can protect Liz." As Jason's wife she got the best.

"I've been thinking on a bigger reorganization since last week when we handed out promotions. Actually since earlier in the year when Maximus gave me Crimson Pointe." Jason controlled all the piers now, which really annoyed his grandfather. ELQ needed the docks to bring things in from time to time and Jason charged him a premium rate.

"What do you have in mind?" Francis wanted to know. Jason generally gave things a lot of thought before putting plans into motion. It was why his suggestions always worked.

"You and Johnny both as seconds. Each of you focusing on one of the territories. Cody moving into the head of security position. With you expecting a baby I'd like you somewhere less dangerous." Jason laid out what he had worked out. "I wasn't sure who to move into the enforcer position. I was looking at Ritchie, Max, Hank, Marco, and Renaldo." He nodded to the guard.

"If we pull Renaldo from Liz's detail he can fill the enforcer slot." Johnny saw how this made them stronger. Technically he would still be third in command, but with a new title. "We still need a guard for Liz."

"I would suggest we move Marco. I can talk with him and tell him moving him from your detail isn't a demotion. He's good enough to be an enforcer, and that is who we want with your wife full time." Cody knew Marco would be pleased with the new assignment. The other guys would see this as Jason saying Marco was at the top of his game.

"Now we need a guard for Jason." Francis said thinking who they had on their roster. "What about Rory?" He was an outstanding senior guard. Francis realized they had a very strong crew on the payroll, stronger than anything Sonny ever commanded.

"Rory will work." Cody looked at Jason who just nodded. "Congrats, you just got promoted." Cody told Renaldo.

"This wasn't how I saw this talk going." He said surprised at the turn of events.

"See what happens when you are honest." Johnny was still going to tease him mercilessly. "You get a promotion, and you get to ask out the girl you are interested in. What you don't get, is a free trip to California."

The South American guard was fine with that. He had made out better than he had a right too. "Thank you Jason." His boss just nodded.

"Kyle will back up Renaldo, I know that he is nervous about filling that role but he's ready." Cody said looking over at his boss for approval.

"That will work." Jason liked knowing he had a solid base under him. "Everyone's new positions start in the morning. Francis you can decide which territory O'Brien gets stuck with."

"I'll let you know tomorrow." Francis said looking at O'Brien with an evil grin. Neither one would be a bad choice.

"I need to eat lunch." Jason said standing up. "I was thinking Kelly's. What does everyone want?" And with that the meeting was over.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	28. Chapter 28

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright is intended.

* * *

Chapter 28

"Hello." Lila maneuvered her wheelchair from behind the desk to come greet her visitors. Three days a week she worked at the offices of the charitable foundation she started nearly three decades ago. This was one of the things she was most proud of. The foundation had made a lot of positive changes in the city, and through the work at the Harold Morgan Pediatric Research Institute her foundation was making lives around the world better. The other two days she ran her foundation from her office at the mansion.

The money that made her foundation possible came from her relish company. The recipe had gotten the Quartermaines out of debt after they lost their money to a scam artist. Once the family was taken care of Lila began donating one hundred percent of the relish profits to charity.

Skye was now on the board of the foundation. Emily had expressed interest in working here since she was returning home, and Lila had hopes that Elizabeth would move from a volunteer to a board member as well. The young artist could do a lot of good in that room.

"I'm so thrilled you wanted to have a visit." Lila said motoring over to the couch where her guests would sit. They waited while the tea cart was brought in by the receptionist. Here at the office the afternoon ritual was observed, not just by Lila. Everyone in the company got a half an hour paid break. "I'm glad you came here because it will be less stressful." Lila was aware her husband was planning something, even though he thought he was being sneaky. "How is my great-grandson today?"

"Great." Elizabeth said smiling. "He was napping when I left."

"They do that a lot at this age." Lila shared her knowledge with them. Baby care had changed greatly since her children were born, but some things were still the same. "He was very adorable in his green sleeper." Every day she received photos of the baby from either her grandson or Elizabeth. Lila was putting together an album.

"I have a gift for you." Liz said holding up the bag she had brought into the office.

"Thank you very much. This bag is beautiful." She said looking at the roses that had been hand drawn on the paper. This was a common touch with presents from the artists. Elizabeth also always put gifts for Lila in bags since her arthritis made tearing wrapping paper difficult at times. "I love gifts." She said with a girlish grin. "A digital picture frame."

"It holds up to five hundred photos so you can keep adding to it." Elizabeth had uploaded all the pictures she had of Michael, including the ones Lila had never seen.

"Wonderful. I will put this on my desk here at the office." Lila watched as a few images flashed by. "I haven't shared my photos of Michael with the rest of the family yet. I really should, but sometimes I just want to be selfish. Maybe next week I will print some out and place them around the house."

"May I ask you to wait on that?" Jason would respect whatever decision his grandmother reached. "Neither Monica nor Alan have apologized to Elizabeth yet for ignoring that she exists." It was downright blatant at times going so far as to not speaking to her when she was somewhere with him. "I'd like for them to do that first." He wasn't expecting Edward to offer one. "I'm not using Michael to punish them, I need everyone to respect Elizabeth's position in his life and mine."

"You don't need to explain." Lila told her grandson. "If it makes you feel better I think those apologizes are imminent." She had overheard a conversation when coming back from a tour of the garden. Both her son and daughter in-law had admitted to disrespecting Elizabeth, and they both acknowledged that Jason would not tolerate that behavior continuing. "Maybe even in the coming week." By the time they were offered she hoped they were sincere. At the moment Lila thought that they were being offered so access to Michael would be granted. Jason would see through that.

"We will not be home next week. Which is one of the things I wanted to share with you." Jason said taking Elizabeth's hand in his. "We are going to Malibu."

"I've never been there, but I understand it is beautiful." Lila had never been to the west coast at all. She knew Elizabeth had a home there. A vacation would be wonderful for them.

"I love it." Liz could not wait to share it with Jason, and Michael as he grew.

"What else have you come to share with me?" Lila wanted to know what was behind the light in her grandson's eyes.

"Some really wonderful news." Jason said smiling wide. "We are getting married."

Lila simply beamed looking at the young couple. "Congratulations!" She said extending her hands to both of them. "I cannot begin to tell you how much this pleases me. Elizabeth has always been family, now I can officially call her my granddaughter."

"Thank you." Liz said blinking back tears. Lila's blessing carried as much weight as the blessing she would be getting from her parents.

"When?" Lila expected that it would be soon.

"Tomorrow night, at Francis and Diane's home." Jason passed along. "Do you think you can attend?"

"Nothing will keep me away." Lila assured him. "Tomorrow night happens to work well with my calendar. Your grandfather left this morning for a business summit in Miami." She started explaining.

"I know. He is attempting to find out how to get in touch with the minor shareholders in AJ's company. Edward is also meeting with his private investigator." Jason had eyes in the company, something the old man did not know. Some were being paid, and others had secrets to protect.

"What is Edward hoping to find?" Liz knew at some point Jason would have shared this information with her. "Never mind." She said letting out an exasperated sigh. "It's obvious. He is looking for a relative of Carly's." Someone who might be able to make a bid for custody.

"With you out of town next week he may try something overt on the business front." Lila was guessing Jason was prepared.

"I sold a portion of the company to Jasper Jacks this week." Jason said with a wicked grin. "Jax is looking forward to irritating Edward."

Lila just laughed. Edward and the Jacks family had a history, not a good one. So the coming skirmish had the potential to get messy. Hopefully it would take up enough of her husband's time that he left Michael alone. Although she wasn't expecting that to happen. "Your parents will also be out of the house all evening, as they are having dinner with colleagues in Buffalo. They mentioned they might stay overnight in the other city. I encouraged them to do so. Which means I don't even have to sneak out of the house."

"Alice is welcome to come as well. In fact I included her on the guest list." Liz wanted Lila to know. Elizabeth would make sure Lila was sat next to Michael for the ceremony, and the reception.

"I will tell her. Thank you." Lila was getting excited already. "Have you informed Emily?"

"Yes, and she and Matt will be arriving in Port Charles later this evening. They are flying back home either late Saturday night or on Sunday they weren't sure yet." Jason would have every family member he cared about there to watch him exchange vows with the woman who held his heart. He knew that AJ and Carly would be watching over them as well.

"Perfect. I have a property that I want them to look at, it's one of mine. If they like it can I have a crew of yours make repairs and paint?" Lila never assumed that Jason would send men over.

"Just give one of the guys a call." Jason told his grandmother, she had all his top guys' numbers. More than likely she would call Cody.

Lila nodded as she sipped her tea. "With you having the ceremony at the Corelli home." Diane used Francis's last name in her personal life. "You will be surrounded by my flowers." Lila had sent cuttings and some full grown bushes to the house when they moved in. Their landscaper had once worked for Lila on her grounds crew before she encouraged him to start his own company. She had taught, and then mentored several young people. They all had thriving businesses, most outside of Port Charles, which made her proud. "If I may, Elizabeth, I'd like to gift you the flowers for your bouquet. As well as any attendants you might have."

"I would love that." Liz was going to press some as a memento of the day. "Georgie is standing up with me."

"You two will be beautiful. Shall I make the selections or do you have a request?" Lila would be happy either way.

"I would be pleased to carry the blooms you select. You will know what is at its most gorgeous." Liz wasn't going to argue with Lila about flowers.

"Do you want the same flowers as Georgie or complimentary." Lila said already knowing what she would select for the bride.

"Complimentary." Liz wanted a unique bouquet.

"Jason do you need boutonnieres?" Lila asked looking at her grandson.

"Two please. Cody will be standing up with me." Jason told the ladies. "He beat out Johnny and Francis. They cried." He joked making both his grandmother and his fiancée laugh. "I have something else wedding related that I'd like to share." He looked over at Elizabeth. "I picked a ring for you this morning, and I'd like to give it to you while we are here with Grandmother."

"I would love that." Elizabeth let him know.

Jason reached into his pocket and removed the velvet box. "I did as you asked. I examined the rings in the case and I waited for one to call to me. Unfortunately nothing did. Eric offered to show me some of the custom pieces he had in the back and I said yes. I found what I was looking for in that collection. The ring in this box is brand new, but the stones are not. He got in two rings from an estate sale that were missing gems. The daughter who was selling the rings said one belonged to her grandmother and the other to her mother. Both women were married to the love of their lives for over five decades. The rings were damaged when part of the home caved in due to foundation rot. This ring hold the remaining stones from both." Jason explained the history behind the piece of jewelry in his hand.

"That's beautiful." Liz loved the idea of merging the new with the vintage.

Without another word Jason opened the lid and Elizabeth moved her eyes from his to the box. Her soft gasp filled the quiet of the office. "When I saw this ring, I knew it belonged on your finger. May I put it on you?" The diamonds shined in the sunlight as he removed it from the box. The art deco design of the ring was made up of several cuts of stones. In the center was a large cushion cut flawless diamond, and it was surrounded by a halo of French cut and old European cut diamonds.

"Yes, please." Liz said holding out her trembling hand.

He slid the ring on, the fact that it was a six and half seemed to confirm it had been made for Elizabeth. When it was in place he turned her hand so that their grandmother could see the ring. The site of Lila's hand holding Elizabeth filled his heart with such joy he had to swallow around a lump in his throat. He was blessed to know a lot of strong women, but these two were the most extraordinary of the group.

"That is stunning." Lila said smiling at the two of them. She had wiped away tears of joy at being able to witness this moment. "Be happy. I'd like to gift you some pieces to go with the ring."

"Thank you." Elizabeth hadn't been expecting that. "We are going to be happy. I will take the very best care of Jason and Michael." Liz wanted Lila to know.

"Speaking of Michael, I have news to share there as well. Elizabeth and I will be adopting him together." Jason told his grandmother. Diane was going to change the paperwork she filed on Monday. She needed the marriage license to add Elizabeth's name.

"I'm sure AJ and Carly are smiling in heaven." Lila knew her grandson had battled some demons, but she truly believed that was where he was. "Their son will be your son, and very much loved." Edward was not going to be allowed to hurt the newly forming family. "This has been an afternoon filled with wonderful news."

"When we return from California, I'd like to meet again. Without Jason this time." Elizabeth had been thinking on this for the last several days. "You offered me a bigger role here at the foundation when I was ready, and I think that is the perfect way to celebrate my becoming part of the family." Doing the volunteer work filled her soul, and she would continue with that, but she also wanted to do more if she could.

"Let me call my assistant and we can book that meeting now." Lila wheeled herself over to the desk. When the young woman returned from her break she would pop in. With that done Lila returned to where her grandchildren were sitting to continue the visit.

* * *

"So that's new." Georgie said pointing at Liz's hand when her boss returned from her outing with Jason. She wanted to handle some of the correspondence that had come in yesterday. Liz wouldn't have minded Georgie letting this wait, but the brunette liked to provide timely answers to inquiries. "And stunning."

"Jason gave it to me while we were visiting with Lila." Liz said sitting down in her chair. In about fifteen minutes she would go get Michael so that Nadine could call it a night. Jason wouldn't be home for another hour and then they would all have dinner together. Skye offered to host a family style dinner, but Liz wanted a quiet night before the hustle and bustle of tomorrow. She knew Jason would feel the same.

"That's so romantic." Georgie replied grinning as she turned off her work station. "I'm so happy for you two, once all this mess with the Quartermaines is done then you can go onto your happily ever after."

Liz nodded in agreement.

"Skye called to say she booked mani/pedis for us. Tomorrow morning. Elton also called to let me know that we need to be at Diane's house by three so the glam squad can cover us in fairy dust." Georgie said on a snicker. Why it would take four hours to do hair and makeup for two people left her baffled. Neither one of them needed that much product applied to their face. "Is there anything else you need from me tonight?" They would not be working tomorrow.

"One more thing. Come with me." Liz said getting up. "Nadine you can call it a night." She told the nanny. "Thank you for today."

"You're welcome." The nanny said getting up from her position on the couch. She had been chatting with Milo, getting to know him better. Her guard left, but Milo would be wherever Michael was.

"The ceremony is at seven, but I need to be at the Corelli home by four. You are welcome to come with me or have the guys bring you later." Liz would let the nanny decide.

"We'll come later so you can get ready without distraction. Will Jason be home or at work?" Nadine asked planning her day.

"He'll be in the penthouse, so Michael will spend the morning with him. Jason will call when it's time for him to get ready." Liz thought they were striking a good balance at the moment with how much time they spent with Michael, and how much time he spent with his nanny. The key would be to find balance when they were both busier with work.

"Okay." Nadine would wait for that call. "Night."

"Night." Liz said as the nanny left. "Milo I need to hold your girlfriend captive for a few minutes longer."

"Not a problem. Since you two aren't leaving the building bail won't be required." He said laughing. "I'll see you at home." He said to Georgie before leaving too.

Liz put Michael in his carrier. "We are just going upstairs. I want your opinion on something."

"Sure thing." Georgie said waiting as Liz locked up. "Are you redecorating the penthouse?"

"No, I like how it is." Liz would expend her decorating energy at the new house. On the penthouse level she smiled at Ben who was on the door to Jason's place before leading Georgie to penthouse four. Liz had the key because it was delivered to her guy this morning.

"I've never been in here before." Georgie said looking at the large empty room.

"Me either." Liz put Michael down and made sure his blankets were covering him. "We are moving the company up here." That was how she jokingly referred to herself and Georgie. "That way someone else can have my place." Liz wondered if maybe Milo and Georgie might move in. "I think this main space is going to be divided between Michael and our break area." Although in warmer weather they might take their break on the large terrace. "Work space will be upstairs, so let's go have a look." She grabbed the carrier and they went up.

"Where would I be?" Georgie asked looking at several closed doors.

"You will be there." Liz said pointing at what she suspected would be the junior master bedroom. The master, which should be at the other end of the hall would get better light based on the orientation of the unit.

"This space is huge." Georgie wouldn't be cramped that was for sure. Not that she was now. "Will you be in here too?"

"Nope. All this is yours." Liz said dramatically with a sweeping gesture. "You can run my graphic novel and merchandising empire from here."

"Along with whatever else they push at you in the future." Georgie said with a grin. Her boss was fighting it. There was already whispers of her getting a pitch for a television show adaptation. Liz said she got sick just thinking about it.

"You will need to pick a wall color. Decorate however you like." Liz wanted her assistant comfortable. "This will be your bathroom." She said when they peeked in the room next to the bedroom. "I can have the crew put in a door so it's attached?"

"No the short walk won't do me in." Georgie promised her friend as they walked down the hall. "Wow, this space is huge too."

"Room for my studio and my desk." Liz could easily see it.

"Should you do that?" Georgie wanted to know. "I don't want you distracted. There is plenty of space for your desk down the hall."

"It shouldn't be an issue, but we can revisit the setup if I'm wrong." Liz would need the walls painted white. "I also don't plan on having a phone in here. Any calls I get you can forward them to my cell. The third bedroom will be set up for Michael to nap. What do you think?"

"I think it will work." Georgie could work pretty much anywhere she had internet.

"There is also an eat-in kitchen in this unit, not like mine but with actual room for a table." Liz told her friend. In her place she had barstools at the island, and a separate dining room. Where there would normally be a dining set here there would be toys. "So you can sit down and eat lunch with Milo. I was thinking of getting us office space anyway, but having us here will make the guys relax."

"Yeah it will." Georgie said in agreement. "Will we move after we get home from California?"

"Probably that first day. I'll have a key for you then." Liz said when they were back in front of the elevator.

"That's fine. I'll see you in the morning." Georgie waved as the doors opened and Liz went into the penthouse.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	29. Chapter 29

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 29

She had just changed Michael's diaper and put him in his portable crib when her phone rang. Looking at the number she smiled. "Hi dad!"

"Hi sweetheart." Jeff Webber missed his daughter. It had been too long since they had a visit. "Hold on and let me engage the speaker."

"Hi!" Carolyn had been happy to get the message that their daughter called earlier in the day.

"Hi mom." Liz perched on the arm of the chair. "I'm so glad you guys called me back, I have news to share." She generally got right to why she called whenever they talked because she never knew when her dad would have to return to the hospital. They would do general catching up after this.

"You sound very happy, so I can tell its good news." Carolyn was smiling just listening to Libby's voice.

"I'm getting married." Liz told her parents. "Jason and I are having a small ceremony. More of an elopement with friends actually." She started telling them.

"I get to pick the next vacation spot!" Carolyn said laughing. "Congratulations sweetheart!"

"Vacation spot?" Liz asked laughing at her mother.

"You've mentioned Jason a lot over the past year. Your mother said that the two of you were more than friends, and that you wouldn't say anything until you guys were getting married. She even predicted you eloping." Jeff should have known better than to doubt his wife. When it came to their daughter she was rarely wrong. "Congratulations sweetheart. I can hear in your voice how happy he makes you." He was hoping this would be enough to get his wife to consider once again living in the states. It was time they went home. "I am going to want to talk to him at some point."

"I'm sure he knows that daddy." Liz knew that her dad had more than likely requested a background check on Jason. Her father certainly had access to people that could get that information for him. Just because he was in Europe didn't mean he wasn't concerned about her safety. It was just that her mother needed more care. Liz completely understood that, and she approved. Her parents hadn't left the states until they had her blessing. They asked when she was in college and living on her own. If she had said no they would still be here. "So I have your blessing."

"Of course!" Carolyn told her daughter. Libby was smart about the choices she made. If she had given her heart to Jason, then he was worthy of it. "Send me pictures from the ceremony."

"I will, and video too. I will also send you pictures of your new grandson." Liz shared with them.

"Jason has a son?" Jeff hadn't seen that in the report, so it must have happened after it was run. He knew Libby would have told them if she was pregnant long before giving birth.

"His brother recently died and Jason is, we are, adopting his nephew." Liz knew her parents would love Michael.

"I'm a hot grandma!" Carolyn said excited. Her daughter was going to be an excellent mother. "I can't wait to see him. I'm so happy for you."

"Thanks mom." Liz couldn't help but think of her sister at times like this. It was during big life changes that her absence was more pronounced. She knew her parents would be thinking of their daughter as well. Hopefully her mother wouldn't have nightmares, or suffer a relapse of the severe depression that led to the move overseas in the first place. "I don't think I've ever been this happy before."

"I can hear it in your voice. So what kind of dress have you selected?" Carolyn wanted details. "And can I get a picture of the ring tonight?"

"Do you have sunglasses handy?" Liz cracked wise as she pulled up the camera on her phone and snapped a picture before sending it out.

"Whoa momma, look at all that sparkle." Carolyn said enlarging the picture to get more detail. She turned her phone so that Jeff could see. "I may have to start dropping hints about an upgrade to your father."

"I'm right here Carrie." He said laughing at his girls, and using his pet name for his wife.

"Mom, I completely agree that dad needs to step it up." Liz said smiling at the two of them. "He can't be outdone by his soon to be son in-law. Plus Jason needs goals to aim for." Her father had just put a stunning, and huge, sapphire on her mother's hand for their last anniversary. Liz wasn't sure how her mom hadn't pulled a muscle walking around with it on her hand.

"It's not a competition." Jeff said to his girls.

"Yes, it is." Both mom and daughter said in unison. Neither one meant it they just liked messing with him.

"Shouldn't we be discussing something like your dress?" Jeff said turning the spotlight back to his daughter. Still he loved it when he girls teased him.

"We will discuss that after Libby sends the pictures. I'll spare you that conversation." Carolyn told her husband. "Are you guys going anywhere after the ceremony?"

"To Malibu for the week, then back here. There are things that need to happen with the adoption so the trip is going to be short. We will go away again at some point in the future." Liz explained to her parents. "Maybe we could come to Germany."

"We would love to have you here for a while." Jeff let his daughter know.

"If you need a character reference letter all you have to do is say so. In fact we will just write it and email it to you, or your lawyer whichever is easier." Carolyn wanted to help in any way she could. "What do Jason's parents think of you? Wasn't one of your friends dating his brother at some point?" Since Liz stopped mentioning them they must have broken up. "So you must know them."

Liz had mentioned Carly dating AJ, but she hadn't mentioned the marriage. It didn't impact her parents so she hadn't gone into much more detail of her friend's personal life. It turned out to be a good thing because she would have had to tell her mother about Carly's death. If Carolyn read the newspaper she would have made the connection already. But she didn't because it depressed her. No doubt Jeff was making the connection with this conversation. The mention of the adoption would have started jogging his memory. AJ's name might not have automatically registered with her dad.

"I do know them." Liz aid trying to put a positive spin on the relationship. "We aren't that close, but it's not like I spend a lot of time with them. I don't see that changing much after the wedding, because Jason doesn't always have a great relationship with most of his family members. I know Jason's grandmother and sisters better. He is extremely close with them."

"Well I'm sure that since you are joining the family that will change. I don't see how his parents can help but adore you." Carolyn looked at her husband. Their daughter's voice had chilled some, so that situation would bear watching. If the Quartermaines needed to be set straight about how they treated her daughter Carolyn would have no problem with that. No one hurt her little girl.

Jeff patted his wife's hand. From what he had learned about Jason he was not close with a good portion of his family. Those he loved he protected fiercely, if he was marrying Libby then she was on that list. The response to the official ruling of his brother's death would be interesting to observe. Jeff didn't see Jason just letting the person who killed his brother walk away. However the response might not be an obvious one.

"You aren't at all biased though." Having her parents in her corner made Liz feel incredibly loved. "I'm sure the relationship will change as well." Liz said not really meaning it. "Tell me what is going on in Germany." She checked on Michael and then moved to the cushion of the recliner ready to start catching up.

* * *

Edward was sitting at a table in the country club that he was extended privileges at due to his membership at the Port Charles Country Club. He had finished a round of golf with a long-time friend earlier in the day. Then they came into the clubhouse to talk. They had discussed a variety of topics, but the main topic of conversation had been AJ's company. Edward's friend was going to make some calls to see if any of his contacts knew who else held shares of Quartermaine International.

His friend had left almost an hour ago and now it was time to meet with the private detective Brian hired. The waiter just refreshed his drink when the hostess escorted a young man over. The man he normally worked with had apparently retired. So Edward needed a new investigator. The person the Quartermaine patriarch was meeting with was considered to be top notch. However he if didn't like what he saw today he would find someone else.

"Mr. Quartermaine." Logan greeted his new client.

"Mr. Hayes, have a seat." Edward pointed to the empty chair across from him. His new detective was young, but his reputation was stellar. Brian had been able to secure some glowing references. "Thank you for meeting with me."

"You're welcome. It's a good thing I was in the state for work." Logan ordered a coffee. He never drank alcohol when he was on the clock.

"Are you working another job at the moment? I need someone who can focus on getting results." Edward didn't share.

"I only work for a single client at a time." Logan told the older man. "It brings in less money, but I am able to deliver those results you are seeking. In business a good reputation brings money in the long run."

Edward liked what he was hearing. "I need you to find someone for me."

"Who?" Logan wanted to know.

"I need a reputable member of her biological family located." Edward said passing over the file Brian had put together. It contained all the information they had on Carly. Unfortunately the only family it mentioned was her adoptive parents. The prior detective could not get past the seal on Carly's adoption file.

"Define reputable?" Logan said looking at the picture with the paperwork. Mrs. Quartermaine's face had been in the news all last week, along with her husband, but that wasn't why he recognized her.

"I need someone that can impress a judge so I can get custody of my great-grandson." Edward told the younger man what the objective was.

"May I ask who has the child now? So I have a frame of reference about what level or reputability I need to shoot for." Logan got that Edward needed someone who cleaned up well but would turn the kid over for a no doubt sizable payment.

"We are going to get along fine." Edward said with a sly grin. "My grandson Jason has the child, so I need a relative with no police record. I don't care what they may or may not have done, I do care if they have been caught or not." He sipped his drink. "This might not be the easiest task, I know my grandson AJ did a search that came up empty."

"Everybody comes from somewhere." Logan said shrugging. "So she has to have people out there. I'm willing to keep looking as long as you are willing to keep paying."

"That's what I want to hear." Edward had no intention of backing down until he had his great-grandson. "She grew up here in Florida."

"Then this is where I'll start. I may need to come to Port Charles, if I do I will not give any indication that I am there on your orders." Logan told the older man. "So there won't be any meetings unless you set them up. I will send you weekly updates if you like, or if you'd rather I will contact you when I find a relative."

"I don't want a bunch of emails that say no progress. You can contact my assistant, Brian Beck. He will let me know when I need to address an issue." Edward didn't have time to waste reading the same thing over and over again.

"Understood." Logan nodded his head. "If you need to contact me my cell phone is the best way to do so. In case you need me to make any changes to what I'm doing."

"A low profile would be best." Edward told his newest employee. "My grandson Jason is a powerful man. You should be aware of that."

"I don't meet with a client before doing my homework. I know who your grandson is. I am smart enough to stay out of his crosshairs." Logan said with a cocky grin.

"Good to know. I don't want him to have any clue about what is happening until it's too late." Edward knew that the element of surprise was his biggest asset.

"I can guarantee a surprise ending." Logan's smile got wider.

"Good man." Edward would pop open a bottle of champagne once he had his victory.

* * *

Logan waited until he was back in his hotel room before making the call to check in. "The meeting is over."

"How did it go?" Francis wanted to know. It hadn't been hard at all for them to steer Edward to the 'private investigator' they wanted him to hire. It just took the right person giving him Logan's name and then some doctored references.

"The old man is arrogant, and a piece of work. I can't imagine how screwed up that kid would be if he was raised by Edward." Logan was looking out at the ocean while they talked. Growing up in Texas he rarely saw this much water at once. It was relaxing.

"I have watched Alan and Tracy screw up repeatedly so I don't have to imagine it." Francis said shaking his head. "Jason wants you to go ahead and look for any relatives." If anyone could find members of Carly's family it would be Logan. The younger man was one of the best trackers out there. "We know Carly came here looking for her bio mom. Once we have names we can figure out how to proceed." Meaning if names should be given to Edward or not. Unmasking the older man's plot in court might be the best shot they had of keeping him from trying something like this again at a later date. Or it might just be best to make sure relative never even came to town.

"Not a problem. He mentioned that AJ did a search and came up blank." Logan wasn't sure Francis knew that.

"We know. We have that information. We decided what was in the file Edward received." It appeared AJ's guy was slacking off. "Another search won't hurt, you might find something that the other guys missed. I hate to say it, but the fact that Carly is dead and her son has inherited a lot money might bring relatives forward that saw no reason to speak up before." Francis said as he tapped his pen on the desktop. Those folks wouldn't get very far with that.

"I'll be starting here in Florida." Logan would be checking in regularly so they knew his movements. "You hear anything from Cooper?"

"He's in London, going through what the police have discovered so far. Johnny spoke to him last, so far there is nothing to report." Francis figured Coop would head out to the small village near where the Quartermaine estate was and see if he could pick up any information out that way. He was looking for needle in a haystack. A murder on a deserted road late at night was about as perfect a crime as you were going to get. Still Coop was good at his job, so he might find something.

"I'll leave him be then." Logan would try catching up with his friend when they both had some downtime. "I have my own search to conduct. Will Stan be around if I need tech support?" Logan could talk himself into pretty much anywhere. He expected to have no problem getting access to the adoption file, but if not an expert hacker was great back up.

"Yup. Just give him a call." Francis would give Stan a heads up. They would rather not go that route because it increased the odds of leaving a trail, but they needed that information.

"Good to know. Alright I have to do some work and charge Edward a lot of money." Logan said grinning. He was keeping the retainer and the advance payment from this job, in addition to what Jason was paying him. Not a bad thing at all. "I'll check in next week."

"Yup." Francis said hanging up the phone. Edward was already boxed in and he didn't even know it.

* * *

"Hi." Jason came through the door and looked at his fiancée who was wiping away tears. "What's wrong?" He asked walking over to where she was standing by the portable crib. A quick peek showed Michael was sleeping.

"Nothing, I promise." Liz said reaching for a tissue. "I just finished talking with my parents. They gave us their blessing."

"You said that would be the case." Jason replied as he wrapped her up in his arms.

"I'm just missing Sarah." Liz said letting the sound of his heartbeat soothe her. "Losing Carly brought those feelings back, and so does the wedding. I'm not depressed, so don't worry about that."

"It's just that people who should be here aren't." Jason knew because he was wrestling with the same emotions.

"Yeah." Liz said quietly. It was good that she could talk about this with him, but it was sad that he understood so clearly what she meant. "I'm glad that tomorrow's ceremony will be including a remembrance candle." She had picked which ceremony Father Coates would use, and sent it to Jason for final approval. The clergy member knew them both because they attended Sunday service regularly, so he made sure to include that in the options.

"Me too." Jason was happy that they would be taking a moment to honor their loved ones. He would make sure to have a clean handkerchief in his pocket to give to Elizabeth. "Are you staying here tonight?"

"Nope, you and Michael will be left to your own devices. Try not to get too rowdy." Liz looked up at him and smiled. "I'm staying at Skye and Cody's house. Em and Matt are staying there as well. They don't want your parents to know they are here until after the wedding. I'm looking forward to seeing Emily again."

"I'm glad you guys are getting along." Jason remembered AJ worrying about how Emily, and then Skye, would feel about Carly.

"One less source of drama." Liz said laughing. She knew that wasn't what he was talking about.

"Have you heard from Steven?" Jason knew that she had called and left a message.

She shook her head. "He warned me that he wouldn't be around much the next couple of weeks. He'll be happy for us when we share our news."

Jason leaned forward. "I can't wait for tomorrow." Anticipation wasn't really something he felt often. At the moment the clock was moving entirely too slow.

"Me either." She said smiling. "I'm getting hungry, let's go make dinner and you can tell me about the part of your day that we were apart."

Jason moved the crib so they could see it from the kitchen and followed his girl into the other room to see what she had put on the menu.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	30. Chapter 30

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 30

"Can you see him?" Elizabeth wanted to know. She and Georgie were standing inside the house waiting for it to be time to walk down the runner. They would make their entrance through the French doors and between the columns that framed them.

This afternoon when she arrived at the house Liz had been left speechless at how the wide expanse of lawn had been transformed for her wedding. The challenge had been how to make use of the space to host the different parts of the evening. Elton had called up Diane and told her what he had in mind, and the attorney said go for it.

This was where the small guest list had helped tremendously. After the ceremony their guests would move from this section of the yard back into the house. The basement of the Corelli home was huge and it already had a bar built into it. Guests would be served butlered hors d'oeuvres while outside a crew would set up the tent and reception area. When it was ready the just over fifty people gathered would go back out to start the party.

Georgie peeked out and the first person her eyes landed on was Milo. Her guy was looking mighty fine in his tuxedo. Mighty fine indeed. She laughed to herself and looked down the runner. Jason was in place talking with Father Coates, and Cody was right beside his boss. "He's up front."

"How does he look?" Elizabeth asked her friend. The folks from the hair and makeup team were doing last minute touches to make sure she looked flawless. Liz thought all this fuss wasn't necessary, but she kept that to herself. All that mattered was that they had listened when she said keep the makeup light and the hair low.

"Happy." Georgie said looking at her friend. "He's probably going to fall to his knees when he gets a load of you though."

Liz had fallen in love the moment she saw her reflection in the changing room at the boutique. The floor length Mermaid style gown was made of lace with a nude underlay. The high neckline and cap sleeves helped her too feel that the gown wasn't overly sexy, although she did like how it emphasized her curves. This dress was Georgie's pick and had gotten three more thumbs up when she showed her friends. Lace shoes along with pearl earrings, gifted by Lila, finished off the look. "You did great picking this dress."

"I think skipping the veil was the right choice." Georgie just didn't think that sort of head piece suited her friend. Instead she opted for an up do with an intricate braid and wispy pieces framing her face.

"Ladies." Elton greeted the bridal party. "Elizabeth you look exquisite." He liked the vintage feel of the dress, and that she wasn't giving the goods away like so many brides did these days.

"Thank you." She had given him a big hug when she arrived. He refused to accept payment for dropping everything to plan this wedding, so instead Jason gifted him an all-expenses paid trip to the casino in Puerto Rico whenever he wanted to go. He could also bring a guest for that two week vacation. Since he worked for Deception, he normally just got a deep discount.

"Georgie, you look lovely. That shade of pink is perfect on you." Elton said giving his approval. He liked the pearls in her ears and around her neck. They added a level of sophistication to the ensemble, yet she still looked young.

"It is almost time to start. Georgie the first piece of music is yours. Elizabeth when the song changes I'll count to five and then you'll go out." Elton had hoped to have them practice this afternoon before the glam squad grabbed them. Only that didn't happen because the florist needed him. So they were doing this without any rehearsal. He looked at his phone to check the time. "When I get back we'll start."

Liz just took a deep breath as she gave him a wide smile. She was ready.

* * *

Jason smiled at Georgie as she took her place opposite where he was standing with Cody. Today had been one of the longest of his life. At one point it seemed like time was actually moving backwards, which he knew wasn't true. When he said that to Johnny his friend just gave him a look.

No one bothered to go to work. Instead the guys had gathered at the penthouse and played pool. Francis suggested it when his friend asked what time it was for the third time in five minutes. The fact that Jason kept losing showed that he wasn't focusing on the game. Normally it was impossible to beat him.

The guys also got to see their friend in dad mode because Nadine didn't come up until five. When she did Johnny and Francis had to hold back their laughter because Renaldo lost focus at the sight of her in her dress. After she left it was Cody who asked the newly appointed enforcer if he wanted something to wipe away the drool.

Now after patiently, in his mind, waiting the moment that he got to marry Elizabeth was finally here. Looking over Jason smiled at his grandmother who had a front row seat. When he first came out he sat with her, and held Michael so she could give the baby some kisses on his forehead. It helped to calm his nerves.

The music switched and everyone got to their feet. For a moment the guests were all Jason could see because his girl was short. Feeling impatient he took a step forward and almost lost his breath at how beautiful she was. The smile that came to his face was radiant and when she was finally standing beside him he had to resist the urge to lean down and kiss her.

"Please be seated." Father Coates invited the guests as the ceremony got underway.

"We have come together tonight to celebrate love. Specifically the love these two young people feel for one another. We will watch them commit to that love, to family, to friendship, and to a life time together." He paused and smiled before continuing. "We have thousands of important moments in our lives, yet this one will stand out as among the most important. Why is that?" Father Coates looked out at those gathered.

"It's because we all are capable of love. It is the one universal truth we all share. That we can open our hearts to someone, and have them open their heart to us. That is why Jason and Elizabeth are standing here today, they have found that love. We, their friends and family, have gathered to not only celebrate with them but to witness the commitment they are about to make."

"Jason and Elizabeth we are here to support you. To hope and dream with you. To be there when you learn that love sometimes takes work, and to encourage you to do that work. We will be there as you go forward and we will happily share our knowledge with you to help make your union stronger." Father Coates smiled at the young couple before him. "What I'd like to impart to you today is that love is not one moment, but a collection of moments. It is big ones like right now, and small ones like a cup of tea at night. Those moments together form the love that brought you here."

"Please join hands." Liz passed her bouquet to Georgie and linked her fingers with Jason's. "The fact that you are here is not an accident, it's a choice. You are choosing to make promises and to live your life by those vows. Are you prepared to go forward?"

"Yes." They said in unison.

Father Coates nodded and smiled. "Will you Jason keep Elizabeth as your favorite person? Do you promise to laugh with her, to go on adventures with her? Do you promise to support her through life's toughest moments, to grow old with her, and find a new reason to love her every day?"

"I will, and I do." Jason said making his pledge.

"Will you Elizabeth keep Jason as your favorite person? Do you promise to laugh with him, to go on adventures with him? Do you promise to support him through life's toughest moments, to grow old with him, and find a new reason to love him every day?"

"I will, and I do." Elizabeth promised with a smile.

"Will you, Jason and Elizabeth, be each other's partners from this moment forward? Will you bring out the best in one another, share your happiest moments together, and love each other absolutely and only for the rest of this lifetime and whatever may come next?" Father Coates asked of them.

"We will." Jason and Elizabeth said in unison.

"At this time Jason and Elizabeth will light the Remembrance Candle to honor those loved ones who are not with us today. Every year from this point forward they will light this candle because those that have left this life are never truly gone from our hearts. Once the candle is lit we will have a moment of silence." Father Coates nodded.

Jason released one of Elizabeth's hands but kept the other tucked into his larger one. Together they walked to where the candle had been set up on a tall table. She picked up the lighter and clicked it once to bring forth the flame. Jason covered her hand with his and together they ignited the wick. The tears that had been shining in her eyes spilled over as they softly said the names of their loved ones. He handed her the handkerchief in his pocket and hand in hand they returned to where Father Coates was waiting. They linked fingers and bowed their heads as the moment of silence was observed.

"Jason and Elizabeth you have both chosen to wear rings." Father Coates said continuing with the service. "Over the years, as you look at these rings remember that you have created something precious and beautiful. Something strong and lasting. Let them remind you that you must always protect your partner and the love you share."

"Jason please place your ring on Elizabeth's finger." Father Coates took the rings from the book in his palm. He had blessed them earlier. "Now Elizabeth please place your ring on Jason's finger." When she did everyone clapped and Jason wiped a tear from Elizabeth's cheek.

"We end our ceremony with a blessing. There was a card on each seat and I ask you all to join with me in reciting what is written on it as we usher Jason and Elizabeth into their marriage." Father Coates waited a moment so everyone would be ready. "Now you will feel no rain, for each of you will be shelter to the other. Now you will feel no cold, for each of you will be warmth to the other." In the quiet night all the voices mingled together to bless the young couple. "Now there is no more loneliness, for each of you will be companion to the other. Now you are two bodies, but there is one life between you. Go now to your dwelling place. To enter into the days of your togetherness. And may your days be good and long upon the earth. Jason you may kiss Elizabeth."

Everyone rose to their feet and clapped loudly as their friends shared their first kiss as husband and wife. "Ladies and gentlemen I present to you Jason and Elizabeth Morgan."

"Thank you." Jason said before shaking Father Coates's hand.

"Yes. Thank you." Liz said shaking his hand as well.

"Be happy." Father Coates told them before inviting them to walk up the aisle.

* * *

"Elton, this tent is beautiful." She'd never seen one this large before. Their guests would not be cramped during the reception. "I couldn't have ever imagined this." Liz said looking around and taking everything in. She and Jason were getting a sneak peek before everyone walked down the path and joined them.

"It was my pleasure." Elton absolutely adored Elizabeth. She was always incredibly nice to him. Plus she always had Skye's back. He had worked for Skye before she moved and coming to Port Charles had been risky, but it was working out well for both of them. "I did my best to stay in control. Jason doesn't like as much sparkle as I do." The older man said laughing.

Understated was certainly the theme of the reception. The color scheme was black and white which gave the temporary room a classic and clean look. Everything from the flowers to the cake echoed that. There were small touches of pewter on the tables to reflect the candle light and bring some shine to the space. "However there is one thing left undone. I need some help from the both of you to tie up that loose end."

"What did you need?" Liz asked, Jason was standing beside her, and the fact that he hadn't said anything yet wouldn't surprise Elton.

"Are you going to have a first dance?" Their planner wanted to know. He had hired the musicians Francis told him to, but he had also hired a DJ for when the band was on break. The DJ could download and play whatever song they might pick.

"Jason doesn't like to dance." Liz said to their mutual friend. She was fine with that because dancing in public wasn't her favorite thing either.

"Yes." Jason said at the same time his new wife spoke. When she looked at him surprised he just grinned. "Its tradition." She was going to have all the things that every other bride had.

"Do you have a song in mind?" Elton asked the younger man, who clearly had a plan.

"When I Fall In Love, by Nat King Cole." Jason was a huge fan of the deceased artist, he listened to him with Lila. This song summed up everything he was feeling.

"I love that song." Liz said nodding. "I think that's the perfect first dance song." The lyrics were suited to them, and it mirrored what was in her heart.

"I'll get that ready." Elton applauded the choice because classic music never went out of style. Looking over he saw Georgie and Cody were walking into the reception area. "Let's get you two over the front for the reception line to welcome your guests." Instead of attending the cocktail hour the newlyweds and their attendants had been having pictures taken. Then the Morgans saw their son off. They had a schedule to keep, the young married couple wanted to be gone by ten.

* * *

Wanting to stick with tradition when the elevator doors to the penthouse level of the Towers opened Jason swept his new wife off her feet and carried her over the threshold of the apartment. The guard on the door, Nadine, Renaldo, and Lee were all grinning at them. Milo would normally be with Michael but because his girlfriend had taken over hosting duties with Diane the young guard was allowed to stay at the party. Renaldo had quickly volunteered to take his place.

"How is Michael?" Elizabeth asked once she was back on her feet.

"Sleeping." Nadine had enjoyed the ceremony and the part of the reception she stayed for. Renaldo had sat with her which was wonderful. Both her bosses said she could stay longer, but she had passed. "I gave him a bath tonight so we don't have to worry about that tomorrow." The nanny got to her feet as did the guards. She had enjoyed the time talking to Renaldo and Lee. Hopefully when she got back she could find more time to talk with Renaldo, and maybe hear a little about his new job.

"Thank you." Liz said as she walked everyone to the door. "I'll see you guys in the morning."

"Bright and early." Nadine promised as she walked from the penthouse to the waiting elevator.

* * *

Both she and Renaldo got off on the fourteenth floor because they both lived up here. Nadine had been given one of the larger units so that she would be close to Liz's place. Now that Michael's mom lived on the penthouse level the nanny wondered if she might be downsizing. Which would be fine, three bedrooms was a bit much for one person.

Renaldo actually lived on the other end of the hall from Nadine, but he walked her to her door because he didn't want to the evening to end just yet. They didn't really do much in the way of personal talking because Lee had been with them, and she was on duty. "Are you looking forward to going to California?"

"I am. I've never seen the Pacific Ocean before and Liz said that she has a private beach attached to her house, so that's exciting." Nadine had learned tonight that Renaldo would not be going. Since he had been promoted, which she did offer congratulations for, he was staying on the east coast.

"I've never been out but both Johnny and Francis have, they say her place is really nice. At the same time it feels really warm, which I would expect. Liz likes to be comfortable." Renaldo explained as they reached Nadine's apartment.

"She does seemed to be really down to earth." Nadine could see why Liz and Carly would had been such good friends. While Carly would have been the louder of the two, both women at their core were nurturers. They took joy in making sure those around them were doing well. "I like what I know of her so far." Nadine was trying not to fidget as she stood by her door.

"I was wondering when you get back, would you possibly like to spend some time together when we are both off duty." Renaldo said finding the courage to get the words out. He hadn't been this nervous asking a woman out in years.

'I would love that." Nadine said smiling wide. It was nice to know that he was feeling the attraction as well.

"I can plan something and when you get back let you know what I came up with." Renaldo answered her smile with one of his own. "Port Charles has a lot of outdoor activities we can enjoy, or we can go to dinner if you like."

"An outdoor activity would be lovely. I haven't had a chance to indulge in anything physical outside of the gym. I love going on hikes, horseback riding, swimming, and things like that. Georgie mentioned some bike trails so I want to get a bike before the summer is over." Nadine was going to enjoy her time here in Port Charles. If she was fortunate she might even get to stay on if Liz and Jason had more children.

"I'll keep that in mind when I'm putting together our time together." Renaldo enjoyed all the things she just listed as well. "Also there is a place downtown to rent bikes if you want to go out before you buy one of your own. I think they also have a shop where they sell renovated bikes."

"Good to know." Nadine now had something to look forward to when she got back. "I'll let you know what my schedule looks like when we return."

Renaldo reached in his jacket pocket and handed her a card. "My numbers. Home, cell, and office."

Nadine smiled as she took it. "I should go in."

"Yeah, have a good trip. Good night." Renaldo was grinning as he walked away.

"Renaldo?" Nadine called out.

"Yes?" He stopped and looked back.

"Can I call you from California?" She asked trying not to blush.

"Absolutely." He said already looking forward to it.

Nadine's smile said how much his answer pleased her. "Night." She said before heading into her apartment.

"Night." Renaldo responded and headed home feeling really good.

* * *

Vows from Offbeat Bride

Apache Wedding Blessing

Thanks for the reviews!


	31. Chapter 31

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

Not Safe For Work

* * *

Chapter 31

Jason locked up and leaned against the door looking at his wife. His wife. Elizabeth had married him this evening and he was going to make sure it was a decision she never regretted. "You looked so beautiful walking down the aisle that I almost fell to my knees."

Elizabeth blushed and bit her lower lip at his words. "I lost my breath at the sight of you." She said sharing what she had felt. "I asked Georgie to peek out and she said you looked happy. I could see that when I started walking towards you. Thank you for that." Sharing his emotions in public wasn't something he normally did.

"I couldn't have hid that even if I wanted to, which I didn't. I wanted everyone to know how proud I was to be joining my life to yours. Just like I wanted to wear a wedding ring so that everyone knows I'm taken." She had been surprised when he asked her to select something for him. Eric sent his assistant with a tray of bands for Elizabeth to look over.

Jason pushed off the door and took her hand in his heading for the stairs. Their first stop was the nursery. After the room had been decorated Nadine requested a last minute addition, a chalk board so they could leave messages. The idea had been Carly's, and Jason didn't hesitate to implement it. The board would make sure everyone knew anything important. Right now it listed not only that Michael had a bath, but the last time he ate and his last diaper change.

Knowing their son was fine they left the space and went to their room. The first thing Jason did was turn the receiver for the monitor up, then he turned to face his wife. "Do you need help with your dress?" He didn't want to rush her, but he was too impatient to wait much longer.

"Yes." Liz didn't want to wait either. The sooner she could feel his skin against hers the better. Turning away from him she looked over her shoulder. "It's a hidden zipper."

"I love your hair up like this." Jason said leaning forward and kissing the nape of her neck. "I love it down too." He was grinning. "Or in a ponytail. I'm pretty easy to please." He had to laugh at himself.

The style was not hard to do, so she would have to recreate it for him again. Turning she went to work on the unopened buttons of his shirt. His tie was gone and his collar was open. That teasing glimpse of skin had her on low simmer all night.

Jason shed his jacket and kicked off his shoes to help the process along. Her hand on his belt made him start shaking and when she reached inside his shorts to stroke his hard length he let out a low growl. His lips found hers and when she opened to him he dipped in for a taste. She was so sweet, which just made him anxious to find out how she tasted on the rest of her body.

His lips moved down the column of her neck as his hands reached around to the opening of her dress and pulled it over her shoulders. The light material slid down her body and pooled at her feet. Elizabeth managed to get her eyes opened because she wanted to see his reaction to the support garments she'd been wearing all night.

Jason blinked taking her in. "Wow." She was wearing a white silk corset and a white thong. He was guessing the lack of hose was because the dress was so long. "So sexy." He never really saw the point of lingerie, now he got it. Taking his eyes off of her wasn't going to happen.

Liz was thrilled with his reaction, but the lingerie had to go. It was just in the way. She undid the zipper and tossed the corset aside as her husband removed his remaining clothes until he was just in his boxer briefs. Stepping forward their mouths once again found each other as their bodies molded together.

He couldn't seem to touch enough of her as they turned and he took them down to the bed. Her legs came around his waist as he rocked against her. The way she fit against him only further proved that they belonged together. He had to pull his lips from hers not only to take in air but to try and get control of himself. This time he didn't want to rush, but she just made him greedy.

Liz moaned long and low when he pushed his rigid shaft against her center. Foreplay with Jason was amazing, and she knew that as they learned more about one another in bed it was only going to get better. Turning her head she gave him better access to her neck as he dropped kisses down her body. When his mouth covered a hardened nipple she hissed in pleasure and arched seeking more contact. Taking her unspoken cues her husband sucked harder before releasing her and blowing a stream of air over the wet flesh making her shudder. She was also amazed that he had enough control to want to play some, she was almost at the point of begging.

"Jason." Liz said fisting her fingers in his short hair as he moved to give attention to her other nipple.

"Hmm." He hummed against the pert mound and was rewarded by a soft gasp. His wife was very vocal in bed which he was loving. He was sucking gently against her when he felt her short nails lightly score the skin of his back, not hard enough to leave marks, but enough to get his attention. Her claws were out which was sexy. He wanted her to come before they really got started, because tonight was probably going to be short.

With that goal in mind he reached between them and pushed her underwear aside so that he could touch her. The fact that his fingers were instantly coated with moisture had him giving another growl. "You are so wet." He said on a harsh whisper.

Liz gave him a wicked grin before letting her own hands roam. Once again she pushed pass the elastic waistband of his shorts. "And you are so hard. And big." She said as her hand grasped his throbbing cock and started to stroke.

Yeah, they needed to move this along was what went through his mind. He strummed his fingers over her clit and when he her hips bucked he knew he was touching her the right way. Not adding any pressure he moved his fingers faster and recited every Harley stat he knew to keep from spilling onto her hand. He would need to stop her soon, but right now it just felt too fucking good.

"I…ohmygod…Jason…right there…yes…right there." Liz said before she simply exploded and talking wasn't going to happen.

Watching her in the throes of ecstasy proved to be the breaking point. He reached under the pillows to grab a condom, because he was better prepared tonight. He had his shorts out of the way, the packet open, and the latex rolled down in record time. From somewhere he found the strength to wait until she opened her eyes again before doing anything else. "Ready for me?"

"Yes." Elizabeth said nodding just in case her answer wasn't clear enough. That felt incredible but she still had an ache deep inside that only the feeling of him filling her up would stop.

Keeping his eyes on hers he slowly, more for his sake that hers, pushed inside the tight sheath of muscles at the center of her body. His hands were framing her hips to keep her still because if she moved at all he was going to lose control. He was halfway in when he pulled almost all the way out and pushed forward again this time tunneling deeper. Over and over again he repeated the motion until he was fulling seated and they were both trembling. When he was as deep as he could get her let her hips go so they could move together.

She wasn't going to last which was mind boggling. Liz hadn't been joking when she said she had no idea she could have more than one orgasm with a partner, hell sometimes that one didn't even happen. Yet Jason was about to push her over the edge for the second time in under ten minutes. She suspected the reason he was able to do this was because their joining wasn't just physical, but emotional as well. For the first time she was fully opening herself to someone else. It made everything they shared that much richer.

He was sweating with the effort to hold off until she peaked again. Her body had taken on the most beautiful flush and he knew from their first time in bed that meant she was close. "Elizabeth." He moaned softly. "Come for me." He was almost begging her. He was so sensitive that it was almost painful. "Baby, please."

She was done, he pushed deep and Liz felt like she was shattering into a million tiny little shards so great was the pleasure.

Jason's eyes almost rolled back into his head when her muscles clamped down on his cock. He was filling the condom before she even came down from her high. Stopping his release simply wasn't going to happen. His hips kept moving helping Elizabeth to extend her orgasm and when she went still beneath him he pulled out and slumped to her side. "That was…better than the…last time." He said trying to even out his breathing.

"Was that…your goal?" Liz wanted to know as she too worked on breathing normally. Her body was covered in sweat and the muscles in her legs were quivering. Making love with her husband was the best workout there was.

"Yeah." Jason said looking over at her with a grin. "I even managed to cross a couple of things that I want to do with you off my list."

"But not everything?" She asked trying to get her body to move. It wasn't happening though.

"Not even close. You inspire me. I wonder what my neurologist would think about that. I'm not supposed to be able to dream or fantasize." He shared with her. "You need to be able to imagine to do both and that part of my brain was damaged in the accident."

"Apparently whatever I have needs to be bottled." She said being silly. This was also something new, after sex conversation. Once the act was done her former lovers tended to either go to sleep or get out of bed. Staying close and talking, or just cuddling, extended the intimacy.

"I don't share." He said wrapping an arm around her and pulling her close. "I heard Father Coates say 'love you only' in the vows. I intend to honor that." Jason wanted her to know.

"I have no doubt about that." Liz said kissing under his jaw. "I do as well. Although I'm hoping you might share other things, like the glass of water you are going to go get." She said laughing.

"The mini fridge is arriving tomorrow. By the time we get home cold beverages will be waiting for us." He was thirsty too. "Let me go clean up and then I'll check on Michael, before going to the kitchen." It never even occurred to Jason to ask Elizabeth to go downstairs.

"I can check on Michael." Liz said sitting up.

"Okay." Jason leaned over and kissed her. "You can use the bathroom first and I'll meet you back here."

"Sounds like a plan." Liz said throwing back the covers. She took off her thong because they never got around to removing it earlier and walked into the bathroom. She worked hard to stay in shape, so she wanted her guy to enjoy the view.

In bed Jason was indeed watching her walk away. A no clothing in the bedroom rule might need to be considered. Of course when Michael got bigger that wouldn't work. He imagined there would be times with the little boy would bunk with them. His thoughts were interrupted when she came out wearing the t shirt he had on earlier. She snagged his robe before walking out of the bedroom. That was his cue to get moving.

* * *

Lucky was sweeping the floor while Luke closed down the bar. He did enjoy their current set up but he was thinking it might be time to move along. He was starting to get that itch that came over him when he was in one place for too long. He could leave Lucky here with the bar and take off for parts unknown. He could keep his business of finding folks going from wherever he settled. Luke had the entire world to pick from.

Well not the whole world. A return to Port Charles would not be advisable. Even with Sonny gone Morgan would probably run him out of town at first sight. Considering all the laws those guys broke you would think Luke putting Laura in her place when she got mouthy wouldn't be an issue. What happened between a man and his woman was no one else's business. Sonny had thought otherwise. Now Laura was back with that idiot she was seeing before him, and Luke was living in another state.

He was trying to decide where to start this grand adventure when the phone rang. "Haunted Star."

"Luke." The man on the other end said in greeting.

"Karpov." Luke threw his towel over his shoulder and leaned against the ice machine. "How is Kentucky?" He and the Russian were in the same line of work, illegal card games. They got along well because they didn't try to horn in on each other's territories or clients. Luke even did retrievals for the low level mobster from time to time.

"Beautiful." Karpov enjoyed his new home in America. "I have a job if you are interested."

"What would that be?" Luke wanted to know.

"Come out and we'll talk." Karpov never discussed business over the phone, or in emails. "Write an invoice for the plane ticket and I will reimburse you. First class of course." Luke was worth the expense.

"This Wednesday work for you?" Luke wanted to know.

"Perfect." Karpov would let his assistant know Spencer was coming. "I will see you then."

"Yes, you will." Luke hung up with a grin. That would be a nice deposit to make in the travel fund.

"Dad. Port Charles is on the news." Lucky pointed to the television. He had been waiting to see if anything about AJ and Carly would pop up, but so far nothing had. It helped that his dad generally only watched the national news, and rarely paid attention to the international stories unless he was going out of the country. Right now they were watching a celebrity gossip show.

"Jason Morgan Married?" Luke said reading the headline. "If they don't know for sure then why the hell are they reporting it? She doesn't look like someone who would date a criminal. Mobsters usually go in for flashier women than that." Luke said looking at the short brunette the mobster was being linked with. "Elizabeth Webber, never heard of her." And with that he put the story out of his mind. In fact he turned the television off altogether. Just before the reporter could talk about the recent murders of the Quartermaines in England. "Finish up so we can hit the hay." Luke told his son.

Without another word Lucky got back to work.

* * *

"I forgot to tell you that Renaldo is not going to be your guard anymore." Jason said as he parked the SUV at the private airstrip where his plane was waiting. "He got promoted to enforcer, so you'll be with Marco."

"I'll congratulate him when we get back." Liz said happy for her friend. "When you first start talking I thought you were going to say he was transferred because he got caught looking at Nadine. I know you would worry about that making her uncomfortable."

"You picked up on that?" Jason asked as they got out of the car. He removed Michael's carrier from the car seat base.

"I did. You only missed it because you didn't spend any time with the two of them. They would make a cute couple, so I hope they go for it." Liz said with a grin. She had seen Nadine looking too. Elizabeth jogged up the steps and greeted everyone with a wave. They were the last to arrive. Once the Morgans were buckled up the plane taxied down the runway.

Liz moved from her seat next to Jason to sit with Georgie and Nadine. "Once we drop off the bags we need to go shopping." Liz told the other two women.

"I figured as much." Georgie said getting out her tablet. "I bookmarked four boutiques. If you go onto the sites and make wish lists then Nadine can go make purchases. I can handle grocery shopping."

"Well aren't you just efficient." Liz said laughing.

"See what happens when you let me do the other part of my job." Georgie said being a smartass. "Your life is going to be so much easier now that I'm running it." She would be doing no such thing but it was fun to mess with Liz.

"You don't need to grocery shop." Liz told the younger woman.

"You're on your honeymoon." Georgie was ready to dig in. "Nadine will tackle the nursery. I will tackle the household needs, and you along with Jason will tackle the beach."

"You don't need to grocery shop because I ordered everything online yesterday." Liz said before sticking out her tongue. "It will arrive about an hour after we get to the house. I use this service when I'm in town. They will bring goodies and all we have to do is put them away. However if you really want to shop there will be a farmer's market in a couple of days."

"You can show me how to order from your service later tonight, so I can make sure to replace anything we need." Georgie could also place an order whenever the Morgans came out west. "Or I can just go to the store." She hadn't expected Liz to make this easy. Her boss was just used to doing things for herself.

"Nadine have you ever been to California before?" Liz didn't want the blonde woman to feel left out of the conversation. Their nanny was in her adapted uniform of blue jeans, and the polo shirt the school provided.

"No." Nadine thought back to her conversation with Renaldo. "I'm looking forward to seeing the ocean, and maybe a few celebrities." She admitted.

"There is a very good possibility of that last one." Liz often saw movie and television stars when she was bothered to leave her property. She looked across the cabin and saw Jason talking to the guys. With a wink she turned her attention back to the ladies she was sitting with to continue their conversation.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	32. Chapter 32

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 32

"Good morning, Grandmother." Emily said before kissing Lila's cheek. "How are you?" Matt held out her chair as she took a seat.

"Wonderful. I woke up this morning with a new granddaughter." Lila said beaming.

"Really? I woke up with a new sister." Emily was smiling wide as well. "She was stunning in that gown."

"That she was." Lila said nodding as her breakfast plates were cleared away. Emily and Matt had eaten with Skye and Cody before coming over. "I've already started an album of her appearances in the paper." Lila had one for Emily and Skye as well. All her granddaughters were doing the family name proud. "Now on to business before other members of the family descend on us. I want to be out of the house before your parents come home."

Matt snorted with laughter, he adored Lila. "Where are we headed to?"

"It's a surprise. Alice will drive." Lila said as the housekeeper came into to man the wheelchair.

* * *

"I know that your brother offered you a penthouse, but I think this may be more suited to you." Lila said looking at the young doctors. The small group was standing in front of a lovely cottage style home.

Emily didn't even need to ask who owned it. Her grandmother's roses were right there under the front windows. Lila didn't gift whole bushes of the blooms to just anyone. That privilege was reserved for family, or those she considered family. "How long have you owned this place?"

"Almost ten years. I've had tenants through the years. I was going to gift it to Skye and Cody, that's when I had the roses planted, but this just didn't feel like them." Lila explained to her grandchildren. She had instead gifted them another home that she owned. Unlike other family members she didn't feel the earth was going to end because they were living together and not married. They would take that step when, and if, they deemed it the right time. "This does however feel like the two of you."

"What do you think?" Emily was already smiling, so what she thought of the home would be evident. She also liked the area. The homes were spread apart, but not so far apart that she would feel like she was in the middle of nowhere. She wanted a sense of community. Wanted a neighborhood where their future children would have friends to grow up with.

"I like it so far." Matt wasn't fussy about where he lived. He was just hoping that Jason would send someone over when things broke.

"It has five bedrooms, a study, a family room, and a formal living room. I think you could turn that last space into another office." Lila explained, she knew they would each need one. "Go inside and take a look. Alice and I will wait here and try to stay out of trouble."

"Good luck with that." Matt was laughing as he followed his wife into the home.

* * *

They walked through the entire structure and ended up in the kitchen. "So what do you think?" Matt was pretty sure he already knew what Emily was going to say. He could read her like a book.

"I love it. My grandmother is almost scary with her ability to know exactly what everyone in the family needs. I think we would all be a lot happier if we just listened when she talked." Emily couldn't wait to move in. "We need to paint, and I need a few items replaced but I don't think that will be an issue. Now we just have to go back out and fight about the fact that we can afford to buy this house from Grandmother. She isn't going to want to take our money."

He leaned over and kissed his wife. "That's all you. I just plan to smile and take the keys when she hands them over." Matt said with a boyish grin. There was no way Emily was winning. "Come on let's go out and make it official that this is our new home."

"Home. That sounds great." Emily said following him to the front door.

* * *

"Welcome to Avonlea." Liz said as everyone left the cars and walked to the front door of her place. Generally when she came to stay she rented a car for the duration of her trip. Now that wouldn't be necessary because Jason had purchased cars and they were waiting at the airport. From this point forward they would just hire a car to bring them to their second home.

"It has a name?" Georgie asked looking around. From where they were standing you couldn't see the main road they had driven on to get here. The front didn't really afford much of view, just trees which lent the property a secluded feeling. She was guessing the breathtaking views were out the back.

"Yeah. Almost none of the houses we passed in this part of Malibu have numbers." Liz had no idea why. Naming your house seemed a little pretentious to her but it wasn't like she did it. "I'll hand out room assignments when we get inside." Having guests wasn't the norm, but there was enough space to make it work. "The family I purchased it from were the ones who built it, and named it. They were from England." So the name made sense.

"That view is incredible." Nadine said gazing out the large windows that flooded the living room with light. The Pacific Ocean was right there. Deep blue and going back all the way to the horizon.

"I stood right here and told the realtor I would take the house. I didn't need to see anything else. I can make any changes I want to the property, but that view is not something you will find just anywhere." Liz said understanding the other woman's feelings. Behind them the guys had all the bags in the foyer. "Okay tour time."

The house was open and airy as Liz took them through the entire downstairs. In the large kitchen she ushered them out to the expansive back yard. Pointing to the paved path she explained that following it would lead them to the stairs that accessed the beach. It was Jason who asked how they would know that her portion of the beach ended and she grinned while answering that the large fence would be his first clue. Out this way people took privacy seriously, and trespassing got you a night in jail.

"Is that a tree house?" Georgie said looking out at the trees which enclosed the yard.

"It is. The mother of the family that lived here before me is an architect, and that tree house is amazing." Liz told her friend. "The kids must have had a ball up there. Michael can use it when he gets older because it was built to last." She had been up there a time or two even spending the night. The space boasted some of the best views in the area. "The guest houses are also out that way. They both have two bedrooms and two baths. I thought Lee and Rory could stay in one, you guys can decide who gets which room." Both guys nodded.

Liz looked at her friends. "Milo and Georgie you guys can stay in the other guest house." She wanted to give the other couple some privacy. "Marco you are in the downstairs bedroom. Which means you can walk right out into the backyard." Liz said opening the door. This used to be her room, but Johnny asked her to move upstairs after he saw the layout of the house. This room wasn't secure enough for his liking, even though the property as a whole was now extremely secure.

Liz pointed out rooms as she did a tour of the second level of the house with the ladies and Jason. These rooms also had stunning ocean views. Nadine got the second biggest of the upstairs sleeping areas. Across the hall were two large rooms with a Jack and Jill bathroom and Michael's nursery would be set up in the one of those.

"We are down the hall in the master suite." Liz said taking her husband to see their personal space while Georgie and Nadine went downstairs. "If you don't like anything in here, or in the house in general just speak up. This is your home too, and I want you to feel that way."

"I've liked everything so far." Jason had been quiet just taking in the space. The house felt like Elizabeth; that was all he needed. He saw no reason to change anything. "We don't have an ocean view." Out the large window was an expanse of green.

"If you go out on the terrace you can see the water." Liz said unzipping the bag on the bed. "The green relaxes me. The ocean does as well, but I can see the ocean from everywhere in the house and this gives me a different perspective. We can change rooms with Nadine if you like."

"I like the green." Jason did enjoy the tree view, he also knew this was the room Johnny suggested Elizabeth should use. So moving wouldn't happen. "I'm looking forward to exploring the property. It's a lot bigger than it looks from the road."

"The lot is an odd shape." Liz explained as Jason unpacked his bag. She already had clothing here, although she did bring a few things. "I almost threw up when I bought it." She recalled while laughing. "I've never spent that much money at one time. I kept telling myself that it's an investment, but I had to call my mother to get through it." Malibu property was not cheap. "She said I had earned this slice of happiness and to go for it."

Jason turned and smiled. She was rambling some because she was nervous. He guessed that the source of the nerves was her wanting him to like the house. "We are going to have to make sure we come out here a couple of times every year. I like the thought of having somewhere we can come and I don't have to share you." He paused before speaking again. "Does Brenda come down often?"

"No." Liz said grinning at him. "She rarely ventures out of Beverly Hills if she is in the state. Brenda would just insist we come visit her. Right now she is on location, and then she's taking her honeymoon like us. So no worries about our trip being crashed by her. Felix may show up though. I still need to call them both." Liz was expecting to get yelled at for not telling her friend about the wedding before the fact. The news outlets were already reporting about the ceremony, although none of them had confirmation that a wedding took place. She was guessing that one of the vendors violated the non-disclosure agreement. Which wouldn't be good for their business future in Port Charles. "Nadine should be heading out shortly to go shopping. I need to ask Georgie to call around and find someone to come out and baby proof the house. Whatever day they are here would be a good day for us to be out." A place this size was going to take hours." Liz said as she emptied the first piece of luggage.

"I'll unpack the rest." Jason said taking her hand. "Let's go get Michael and head down to the beach. I want some time with just the two of you."

"I like the sound of that." Liz said linking their fingers and leading the way out.

* * *

"How much time do you spend out here on the beach?" Jason asked after they sat down on the sand. He was imagining that whenever they came out they would be down here a lot.

"I start every day with a walk on the beach. It's just a good way to understand your place in the universe." She said grinning. "There is no way I can think I'm a big deal when I'm faced with this view. I don't think I'll ever turn into an egomaniac, but it's good to watch for the signs."

"What signs would that be?" Jason didn't think she could ever be a diva. It just wasn't in her.

"Lots of pictures of myself might be the first clue. I don't mean pictures with me and you, or with friends. I mean like glamour shots." Liz said thinking of Brenda. She loved her friend but Brenda's house was pretty much a shrine to herself.

"You don't even put your name on your graphic novels so I'm going to say you're okay." Jason bumped his shoulder against hers. Looking over he made sure Michael was still sleeping. He had a bottle and a clean diaper before they came down.

"My ego isn't why I don't use my real name." Liz said looking out at the water. "Sarah is." While she talked about her sister, she hadn't ever gone into detail about what happened to her with Jason. "Did you do a background run on me?"

"No." Jason said wrapping his arms around his knees. "There wasn't a need. You told me a good portion of your life story when we met." He said smiling.

"You made me nervous, so I rambled." Liz said giving him a look. "I felt the need to fill up all the silence. And yes I overshared." She could admit that.

"I liked listening to you talk." Jason hadn't ever told her that. "Tell me about Sarah."

"It's not a honeymoon story." Liz didn't want to bring the mood down.

"Our honeymoon won't end just because we leave California." He wanted her to know. "I'm not a fan of my grandfather but watching him I've learned how to treat a woman. He makes my grandmother feel special every day, when she doesn't want to bash his skull in." Jason said laughing. "There is no time or place that you have to censor what you say to me."

Liz had to kiss him for that. "Sarah wanted to be a model, she and Brenda were represented by the same agency in Denver before the Barretts moved." Elizabeth wasn't going to go into many details, but she would answer any question he might have when she was done. "Sarah went out on calls, and photo shoots. She had even started booking local fashion shows. I remember her and Brenda on the phone comparing schedules. Sarah always invited me to go with her, so I got to tag along to some shoots."

"No one discovered you? Isn't that what always happens? The little sister tags along and someone spots her." Jason was surprised that no one saw how beautiful Elizabeth was.

"Believe me no one was looking twice at me." Liz didn't feel slighted. "My height alone would take me out of the modeling game. Sarah was tall. Taller than Brenda even. She was sixteen when she landed her first big magazine shoot. Something national, not just local. A big picture of her in a couture gown. No one else on the page. We screamed and jumped around the living room when the advance copy came. I think people in Pittsburgh could hear us." She said laughing. "That one picture was how the trouble started."

Jason didn't say anything knowing input wasn't need right now.

"She started getting letters. At first they went to the agency that represented her. Her agent was concerned enough to call my dad." Liz remembered how unnerved her parents were. "Sarah didn't really pay it any attention until the guy traveled to Colorado and showed up at one of her location shoots. He made a huge scene and had to be escorted away." Elizabeth was quiet for a minute. "About a month after that a letter came to the house."

"More letters came, and then he showed up at the house. Which meant trips to the courthouse for a restraining order, and our family moving. We ended up in one of those gated communities with a guard up front. Which proved to not be a deterrent at all." Liz said shaking her head. "I think we moved four times that year. No matter where we went the letters, and then phone calls followed. The harder it was for him to get access to Sarah the angrier he became. The letters went from I love you, to if I can't have you no one can."

"Sarah was a wreck. We were all scared not only for her, but for us too. My mother even suggested guards for us. Where we lived stalking wasn't something anyone had ever dealt with, and all he kept getting was a slap on the wrist." Liz said shrugging her shoulders.

"When did he escalate?" Jason already knew how this story ended.

"Valentine's Day." Liz told her husband. "Which is why I don't celebrate it anymore. We were living just outside of Denver, in the house we had just moved into the week before. We usually had about three weeks in a new house before the letters started again. I was at a school dance with my date. My parents were out on a date as well. Sarah insisted we go out because pretty much our whole lives revolved around the psycho and she wanted us to have some normal. Steven said he would stay home with Sarah so she wouldn't be alone. We didn't leave Sarah by herself because her nerves couldn't take it. They were so bad by the end that her hair was falling out. I remember she helped me get ready for my date. Fussing over my hair and makeup." Liz said lost in her memories. "She was happy for me."

Jason reached over and took her hand in his. Her fingers were cold and he rubbed her hand between both of his.

"I came home and the police were everywhere." Liz looked over at her guy. "My date was told to go home, and I was put in the back of police car and taken to the hospital. By the time I got to hospital my sister was dead. About ten minutes after I got there my parents arrived, then Steven walked in and my family shattered. Not at the moment my sister died, but the moment Steven walked into the ER."

"Why do your parents blame your brother for Sarah's death?" Jason was still missing that detail.

"He went out." Liz took a deep breath. "His girlfriend gave him grief for not spending the night with her, so he went out. He said it was only for a quick visit, just to calm her down. It was long enough for my sister to be murdered. I don't think that's on Steven. I think if he had been home he would be dead too. My parents think if he had stayed then Sarah would still be alive."

"Who said no to the guards?" Jason was guessing the father. In his eyes that was the big mistake.

"My dad. The police told him it would just be a waste of money." Liz didn't blame her father either. They had all done the best they could. "Like I said stalking was still not a common thing in that area, and I don't think the police knew what to do. When my parents first went to them the detective they spoke with said it was just a crush that would pass. I don't want fame. It was never my goal. I just wanted to produce my art and tell a story."

"Where is Sarah in your story?" Jason couldn't see the images on his own, but he did read each volume that came out.

"She's the heroine. Right down to the pert little nose." Liz said laughing. "She was my big sister and I always looked up to her. Now lots of young girls look up to her too."

"She would be proud of you." Jason told his wife.

"Thanks." Liz said smiling wide. "She would want me to dress better." Liz said laughing again. "Brenda tries her best, but I think it would take the both of them to get me to ditch my jeans."

"Please don't. I love you in your jeans." Jason said before kissing her. Not a kiss to stir passion, but to comfort. "Thank you for telling me about what happened to Sarah."

"We should go back to the house. I think Michael has had enough sun." The little boy was under an umbrella, but it was a good excuse to get moving. Liz was feeling a little exposed and wanted to be back in the house.

Jason got to his feet and helped Elizabeth to hers. "I'd like to make a change to the property."

"Okay." Liz was serious about him being happy here.

"I want to put in a boat slip." Jason would love to go out on the water.

"I'll ask Georgie to look into what we need to do." Liz said rinsing off her feet before they went back into the house.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	33. Chapter 33

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

Not Safe For Work

* * *

Chapter 33

Lila was waiting in the parlor. It just so happened that the various members of the family who were out were arriving home within the next few hours. Her grandchildren were at their new house. Emily had called Cody and asked if some minor work could be done, he said of course, and Skye was going to check in once Emily left to make sure everything came out like her sister wanted.

"Jason got married?" Alan asked his mother as he and Monica walked into the parlor. If there was one person who would know if this was a bogus story or not it was his mother. Both Jason and AJ had been the subject of tabloid fodder in the past. What had Alan believing the story might be true was that it had been on the local news and in the celebrity section of the Buffalo Herald. Both doctors had been stunned. So far no photos from the ceremony had been shared, but they might be in later edition of the local papers.

"Yes." Lila said pointing to the sofa. Jason had given her permission to talk about this before she left the reception. Otherwise her son and daughter in-law would have to wait for the newlyweds to return. When Alan and Monica sat the matriarch of the family spoke again. "If you were less judgmental your children might tell you things before they happened instead of letting you learn about them after the fact." She said pointedly. "The wedding was lovely."

"Does this have something to do with Michael?" Monica wanted to know. "Alan and I will not be suing for custody, and we won't support Edward taking Michael from Jason. We've had several talks about this situation and both feel that we want to give AJ the respect he should have gotten from us while he was alive." This was a tragic case of too little too late.

"The decision to get married was based on the fact that Jason and Elizabeth have been in love for some time." Lila had seen signs of the attraction not long after meeting the petite brunette for the first time. From that point on she could only wait to see if they first figured it out, and then if they would do anything about it. To say she was pleased with the results was an understatement. "The fact that your children are not sharing their lives with you should be a red flag." Lila was never on the outside of her children's lives, even when she disagreed with choices they made.

"I went to the Towers. I saw Elizabeth and she didn't have time to speak with me." Monica wondered if she had interrupted wedding planning. With Skye there it was a distinct possibility. "She suggested I call Jason, but I still haven't."

"Going to any location where Michael is before offering a sincere apology to Elizabeth and Jason is not going to help your case any." Lila was wondering where Alan and Monica's common sense had gone. "They will only think you are trying to force a visit with your grandson. Take them to lunch and offer an apology. Do it soon."

"Before father does whatever he is planning?" Alan guessed that was why his mother was urging them to hurry. Jason might lump them all together.

"It's too late for that. His trip was so that he could put plans into motion without our knowledge. Clearly he failed." Lila would let Jason do the heavy lifting where his grandfather was concerned. Although yes, she would help whenever possible. "You still have time to avoid getting sucked down in the wake of Edward sinking. But I am urging you to apologize soon because it's already long overdue."

"Are Jason and Elizabeth in Port Charles?" Alan figured his mother would have that information.

"No." Lila had no intention of sharing where the newly married couple was at the moment. "They will be back next week. Your youngest daughter is in town. Now might be a good time to clean up that mess. Emily working at Mercy is not something she needs to apologize for. Nor is it something she needs your permission to do. You raised her to think for herself and now that she's doing it you want to punish her. Make up your minds. Do you want an independent child or one who constantly looks to you for approval?"

"I guess Skye is next?" Monica knew they had this dressing down coming.

"The situation with Skye is complicated. I get that. Justus's arrival made me question if I ever knew Edward. I welcomed my newest grandson with open arms because what happened wasn't something he needed to be punished for. Monica you are to be commended, you've managed to accept that both Jason and Skye deserve to be part of this family. I can also understand why it was harder with Skye because this was hit number two. So all things considered you're doing as well as can be expected. Still I'd like to see you do better. This isn't Skye's fault." Lila looked at her son. "You, Alan, are an idiot."

"That's kind of harsh don't you think?" He asked surprised.

"No. You're a doctor, I know that at some point in medical school they covered how condoms work." Lila watched her son blush. "I didn't raise you to be stupid. You and Monica have had the most messed up marriage I've ever seen, and that is on you. However when you add children to the mix you need to grow up!" She was just exasperated. "You lied to everyone about your relationship with Rae, the fact that you looked Skye in the face and did so should make you ashamed."

"I'll apologize, again." Alan felt like he was a small child. "To all my children."

"Try to actually mean it this time." Lila said looking at both Alan and Monica. "My advice for your relationship with Skye is apologize and then wait for her to decide what comes next. It would serve you right if she never spoke to you again." Lila was looking at Alan. She didn't think that would be the case because Skye really had come here looking for family. She wanted to know her father, but she was done being hurt.

"You said Emily is here?" Monica looked at her mother in-law. "Was she at the wedding? Never mind. Of course she was. I'm sure Jason invited both his sisters." He, and AJ when he was alive, didn't shut their siblings out. The kids had formed a support system for dealing with life in this family. That was another very sad statement about Quartermaine dynamics.

"Yes." Lila would let Emily and Matt share their news about the house.

"I'll call her and see if she has time to meet with us before leaving." Monica told her husband. They could start on the list of apologies with their youngest child.

"How have you managed to put up with all of us over the years?" Alan asked his mother with a rueful grin. "It could not have been easy."

"I'm not a saint Alan. I've made my share of mistakes." Lila was thinking that just maybe they had actually heard her this time. "The difference is I seem to have learned from them. You, your sister, and your father seemed determined to bend everyone to your will. Life doesn't work like that. All that does is make people walk out on you. The breach with AJ was never healed and you will live with that until your last breath. I don't want that to be the case with the rest of your children." She finished softly. "I need you and Monica to do better so that I have time to focus on Tracy."

"Don't forget father." Alan said grinning.

"He is a special case and might be beyond my expertise." Lila said laughing.

"I'm thinking he will have met his match in Jason, but I'm not expecting confirmation of that." Alan was going to try to stay out of that.

"Emily and Matt have a house, and they'd like us to come see it." Monica came back into the room. "Will you be joining us?"

"I saw it earlier. That's what happen when the children like you." Lila said with a wicked grin. "I will see you later. I need a nap before Edward comes home." With that she rolled from the parlor.

"I have the address. We can work out our apology on the way over. Skye is there so we can talk to them both." Monica told her husband who nodded his approval.

* * *

"This is lovely." Monica said as she and Alan got out of the car.

"Those are mother's roses." Alan pointed to the blooms that immediately caught the eye. "I'm guessing the house was a gift just like with Skye and Cody."

Monica was going to tell Emily that she and Matt were welcome to move into the mansion. Maybe with her close they could really work on their relationship. Now she wouldn't even make the offer, a gift from her grandmother was something her daughter would treasure. And rightly so. "There are cars in the driveway so hopefully they are inside." The cars were the same model as Jason's SUV so it might be just his guys in the house.

Together they walked up the drive and Alan pressed the doorbell. They were both tense because they kept mucking this up and they realized they were running out of opportunities. "Hi."

"Hi Alan. Monica." Matt said stepping back so his in-laws could enter. "The ladies are in the kitchen talking decorating." He closed the door behind the older couple and led the way deeper into the house.

"Hi." Emily was surprised that her parents wanted to come over. She thought they were still angry with her. "We have a house."

"It's lovely." Monica loved how bright this room was. "Congratulations."

"Yes. Congratulations." Alan repeated what his wife said. He would let her take the lead because there would be less of a chance of this being screwed up. "You aren't far from Skye."

"Only about ten minutes." Emily said looking at her sister and smiling. "I'll be over her house so often she'll be sick of me."

"Not gonna happen." Skye said getting up from her seat in the breakfast nook. "I will love the company." Having Emily back home was going to be the best.

"We wanted to come by and apologize. To you both. Again." Monica said with a small smile.

"We also want you to know that this is the last time this will be necessary." Alan told his daughters.

Emily just snorted. "Sorry." She said giggling. "In this family there is never a last time when it comes to apologies. Skye and I will be happy with this being the last time we disagree on this topic. You need to accept that we are no longer children, and respect the choices we make." The young doctor said being blunt. She would be the heavy so that her sister didn't have to do it. Her parents were truly getting on her nerves.

"We've been beating this horse in some form or another since I arrived. Longer with Emily." Skye wasn't going to back off from the truth either, although she appreciated her sister trying to protect her. "I want to have a relationship with you both. Monica we are getting there, but there is only so far we can go if I'm not getting along with Alan." She wasn't in a place yet where he was dad.

"I'm sorry for lying when you arrived. Telling the truth would have been painful, but it was what I should have done." Alan told Skye. He had repeatedly hurt her to protect himself.

"Thank you." Skye said blinking back tears. "I'd like to move forward from here."

"We are ready to put this behind us as well." Monica turned to her daughter. "We're sorry for not taking the news that you are working at Mercy well. I'm also sorry for what I said about the eulogy. I was out of line in both cases. Your father and I are thrilled that you are home."

"Thank you." Emily came over and hugged her parents. "I'm happy to be back home, I've missed it here."

"I don't suppose you have any advice on how to dig ourselves out of the hole we have dug with Jason?" Alan wasn't above getting more advice.

"You need to accept Elizabeth, fully accept her." Skye said starting with the big thing. "No subtle digs or insinuations that Jason can do better, and stop ignoring her."

"Backing off of getting custody of Michael is another thing you need to do." Emily looked at her parents. "We are all on Team Jason and Liz. You need to know that right now. If you fight him, you will end up fighting us all."

"We have decided that AJ and Carly knew what was best for their son." Monica told Emily and Skye. "We also understand that visitation with our grandson is going to be limited while we re-establish trust." They had some work to do.

"You should also work on protecting your son from his grandfather more." Matt surprised everyone by speaking up. "Edward is a piece of work. He has a plan for how everyone's life should be, and that is your fault. You should have stopped that when he started in on AJ. Considering you watched him do it to Ned first, you had warning." Matt knew all about dysfunctional families. He didn't even talk to his anymore.

Monica looked at Alan who nodded. "Matt is right." The general surgeon said looking at his son-in-law. "We shoulder a lot of blame for father being out of control. Mother did her best, but without our standing up and saying no Edward didn't feel he had to stop."

"I think Jason has something in mind for Edward. Right now the best we can do is stay out of the way. When the time comes we will make sure Edward knows who we are backing." Monica promised everyone.

"Good." Emily truly believed that her parents would get it right this time. Whatever Grandmother said had been heard. "Would you like a tour?"

"We would love one." Monica said smiling. This was a good first step to mending their relationships. Maybe sometime soon they might get a tour of Skye's home because they hadn't even once stepped foot inside it.

"Right this way. You can listen to my design ideas. Skye and I have two different opinions on what the color of the front room should be." Emily said grinning. "I refuse to admit her taste is better than mine, even though we all know that's true." She said in a chipper voice.

"It's your house Em, you get the final say." Skye said laughing as they walked out of the kitchen.

"That was very diplomatic of you. We both know I'm going to wreck this house if I design it unassisted." Emily said laughing too. The group headed to the living room so that Monica could give her opinion in the great paint debate.

* * *

After coming back from the beach Jason let Elizabeth give him a tour of the gardens. He could see why she liked coming out here. Everything about the property was designed to be relaxing. She told him that she was looking forward to watching Michael run across the backyard. As soon as Elizabeth said it, he could see it in his mind and now he was looking forward to it as well. After that they came into the house and just hung out, enjoying the quiet.

Now Jason was finishing his unpacking. Michael was asleep for the night, which meant Nadine was off duty. She, Georgie, Milo, and Lee had gone out to explore Malibu. Rory and Marco were hanging out in the guesthouse. Tomorrow they were going to be off and Milo and Lee were staying in. There had been talk of a possible game night because Georgie and Nadine would probably stay in as well.

Jason, finished with his clothes, grabbed his bag of toiletries. Everything that came on this trip was staying here. He was particular about what he put in his hair and what he used on his skin. Since he wasn't sure what they carried out here, he brought his own products.

He grabbed the box of condoms and walked back into the bathroom. These were going in the nightstand for easy access. In fact he took a couple out and put them under the pillow. They would be using those shortly he thought with a grin. He opened the drawer to put the box away and the grin on his face broke out into a wide smile.

"Jason." Elizabeth walked into the bedroom, she had just checked on Michael before coming to see what her hubby was up to. "Someone is happy." From where she was standing she couldn't see that the nightstand drawer was open.

"I was putting these away and I opened this drawer." Jason pointed.

Liz walked over and after looking down blushed bright. "I thought that was over on the other side of the bed." She knew Jason would want to sleep closer to the door, and that meant he would put his stuff in the nightstand on that side. Which was fine because she always stored her personal items on the right side of the bed, or so she thought. "I'll move that."

"Hold on a second." Jason told his wife. "Close the door." This was an opportunity to have some fun, if Elizabeth was willing. While she was doing that he picked up the pink item in the drawer. It was a bunny rabbit with its ears sticking straight up. The rubber item was heavier than it looked, and despite having never seen one before he knew it was a vibrator. His wife was still blushing. They had talked about her pleasuring herself but he thought she was using her fingers. "Would you mind if we used this tonight?" He would always give her a choice.

"Okay." She said while chewing her lower lip.

"You can say no." Jason wanted her to know.

"It's just something I've never done before." She said telling him something he would already know. "I never even talked about flying solo with anyone else. I want to share this with you." Liz knew she was safe with Jason. If she didn't like it they wouldn't do it again.

He put the bunny down and walked to where Elizabeth was standing. Cupping her face he kissed her slowly. They wouldn't rush so that if she wanted to stop she would have time to say so. He could tell she was nervous because she was pushing her boundaries, and that made him feel all kinds of protective.

Clothes were discarded and they moved to the bed. He took his time making sure that she was relaxed and enjoying herself. He had noticed the last time that Elizabeth really enjoyed it when he paid attention to her breasts. Tonight instead of taking the nipple into the heat of his mouth he placed kisses on the areola teasing her.

"Jason, stop teasing me." Liz said tightening her fingers in his hair. The anticipation of feeling his mouth on her body.

He just chuckled before looking up at her. "Are you not enjoying playing with me?" Jason asked before kissing the underside of the soft mound.

"You know I am." Liz said smiling before sitting up forcing him to move. She put her hand on his shoulder and silently urged him to his back. Immediately her lips found the pulse point under his jaw before moving down his chest. She kept going down moving her lips over his incredible abs until her mouth was over Jason's rigid shaft. Looking up she had to shiver at the intensity and heat in his eyes. "My turn to play."

"Elizabeth." He said in a gravelly voice.

"Hmm." She said before reaching up and stroking his erection. She placed a soft kiss on the tip which made Jason groan. Clearly he was enjoying the attention. As she touched him she made sure to pay attention to his reactions so that she would know what he liked. After she felt she had paid him back for his teasing she opened her mouth and slowly let him inside.

Jason gripped the blankets on the bed trying to stay still. He didn't want to choke her but the urge to pump his hips was strong. This was incredible. She was slowly loving him and it was making him sweat. He wanted to beg her to go faster, but at the same time he didn't want to rush this. It just felt too fucking good. "Shit!" He said when her lips moved over the sweet spot just under the sensitive crown. "Enough." He had to stop her before he couldn't hold off anymore. "On your hands and knees."

She hadn't expect that but didn't hesitate to get into the requested position. Looking over her shoulder she watched him roll down the condom. He moved behind her and his eyes found hers as he sank inside her core. "Yes!" Elizabeth said on a low hiss as he filled her almost to bursting. This was one of her favorite positions and she was thinking one of his as well.

"Mmm, baby." Jason said as his fingers gripped her hips to help keep her steady. "This feels amazing." He said on a harsh whisper as he pumped faster. "It's never been this good before."

Elizabeth was panting too hard to answer. Every time he slid forward she pushed back and the feelings were getting more intense with each stroke. Unable to hold out she gave into her climax but he didn't stop and a second orgasm rolled through her.

"Get the bunny." Jason said slowing down. He wasn't going to last much longer and he wanted to see what the toy could do. Liz immediately did as requested. The remote was easy to figure out and he started it on the lowest level. The hum filled the room as he covered her placing one hand on the bed to maintain balance. He started stroking again, feeling her tremble beneath him. Kissing the back of her neck he reached between them and touched the vibrator to the nerves at her center.

"Jason!" Elizabeth said on a small scream as her body was thrown into another climax, this was bigger than the first two. The immediate reaction caught her off guard, normally she need to play with the toy a bit before anything happened.

Her internal muscles clamped down hard on his cock and Jason was done. He buried his face in her hair hoping to dampen the shout that he couldn't hold in if he wanted to. His hips slammed into hers as his release was pulled from him with more force than he thought was possible.

"Stop." Liz just couldn't take anymore. The sensations were too intense. Jason immediately moved the toy and pulled from her. If he hadn't been holding her she probably would have fallen on her face.

"Did I hurt you?" Other than separating them he hadn't moved.

"No." Liz said starting to laugh. "I think you almost killed me though. That was something else."

"Yeah it was." Jason said shifting and helping her down to the bed so they could cuddle. "Would you like to try that again sometime?"

"Definitely." She said smiling up at him. "At home, where the rooms are soundproofed. I have a feeling if we up the speed on the bunny things are going to get loud."

"Make sure you pack it when we leave." Jason said running a hand down her back. "Do you have anything else?"

"A couple more vibrators. I'll leave one here, and after we leave we can have the rooms here soundproofed too." Liz said with a wicked grin. Playing with her hubby was something she was very much looking forward too. "For now would you like to join me in the shower? It's big enough for two. Just to get clean though. I need a break before we do anything else." Her system was still zinging.

"Okay." Jason said as they both sat up. After he would check on Michael before coming back to snuggle up with his girl.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	34. Chapter 34

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 34

"Welcome to Hollywood." Liz looked over her shoulder and grinned at Nadine who was sitting in the back seat with Michael and Lee. Behind their car was a second vehicle with the rest of the crew, except for Rory who was at the house with the baby proofing company. He had grown up in California and the city was one he had visited before so he volunteered to stay behind. "What would you like to see first?"

"What do you recommend?" Nadine didn't want to hog the day. When Liz said that they were going into LA and she was going to play tour guide Nadine got excited. Then she and Georgie both looked stunned when Liz said the day was all about them. She had been to Hollywood plenty of times and the guys were just along to keep the ladies safe.

"You pick the first stop, and Georgie can pick the next one. Then it will be your turn again." Liz said naming an easy solution to that problem.

"How about Grauman's Chinese Theater?" Nadine had always wanted to see that.

"That is the perfect place to start our tourist activities." Liz said nodding. She sent a text to Milo so he could tell Marco. "Jason hang a left at the next light." They wouldn't even need to use the GPS. "At some point today I should call Felix and tell him I'm in town. He's been calling me since the news about the wedding broke." She'd been avoiding him because she knew she was getting a lecture.

"Is he going to want to get together here?" Jason wanted to meet his wife's agent. She talked about him often, and it was clear she really liked him. Jason wasn't jealous, but meeting Felix would be like meeting another member of her family.

"No, he'll come to Malibu." Elizabeth said watching the neighborhood go by. "He'll also want to go to dinner because you're here. Celebrating the marriage will be his excuse. He's always trying to get me out of the house." She said with a grin. "I'll suggest somewhere casual, which out here means nice pants, a dress shirt, but no tie."

"We can stay in. Everyone can give us space." Jason let her know.

"Nope, we are going out. If I let him think he's won then I won't have to go out for another few years." Liz said with a wide smile. "Besides you are a great cover. The paparazzi will assume Felix is meeting you to discuss business and that I am along for the meal."

"Considering my reputation I don't think I'm the type of business partner he wants." Jason said with a wry grin.

"Please. You are like a boy scout compared to some of the people out here. This business is brutal. It's why I avoid it and stick to print." She let him know. Although the higher her star rose the more pressure she would get to branch out. She also knew that her marriage to Jason increased the odds her alter ego would be exposed. Liz trusted the guys would keep her safe. "You can park up there and we'll walk over."

Jason followed her instructions and once they were parked he got the stroller out of the back. All the baby items arrived this morning before they left, but the stroller they had brought with them from Port Charles. The head of the Davidson family offered to send a crew to help with assembly and furniture moving. Jason said they would be fine. Which was true, they had more than enough hands.

"I'm so excited to see all the hand prints in front of the theater." Georgie said as they started walking. "This was at the top of my list of places to visit."

"What's number two?" Liz asked before explaining how they were picking what to visit.

"Madame Tussauds." Georgie said with an unrepentant grin. "I am pretty sure that is as close to Hugh Jackman as I'm ever going to get. Unless you know him. Now would be a good time to speak up if that is the case." Georgie requested with an expectant look. Her boyfriend knew of her lust for the Australian star and Milo had promised to not get in the way should they ever actually meet him.

"Sorry no." Liz said laughing. "I don't actually know any celebrities. Except Brenda, I guess." She said shrugging. "I'll ask Felix, maybe he can make that introduction happen. Here we are." Liz said as they stopped by the theater. Like always the sidewalk was crowded with tourists taking pictures and looking for their favorite star.

"They screened Star Wars here." Milo was reading information about the site on his phone. "There are 200 handprints, footprints, or autographs. The screen inside is now IMAX, and they have the largest seating capacity of any such theater in the world. Not the largest screen though, that's in Australia."

"Liz I think Milo is after your job." Marco said chuckling.

"He can certainly have it. Of course when we get to the wax museum he'll be too busy trying to keep his girlfriend from stealing Hugh Jackman to give out facts." Liz said ribbing Milo some.

"Who did they find?" Jason saw the ladies taking a selfie.

"The Harry Potter section." Liz told her guy. "I know because the last time I was here I stood on Daniel Radcliffe's wand print while Felix talked to another agent. I was his plus one at a private screening." She further explained. "Georgie is a big fan of the books. We should get them to read to Michael as he gets older."

"I took a picture of Anthony Quinn's square for my Aunt." Nadine said smiling. "She's going to love that."

"Inside they hang some of the practice blocks as decoration." Liz let them know. "This might be a good place to come watch a film on a night off." They had plenty of time for a return trip. If it didn't happen this go round the next time they were in the state it could. "Just make sure you check the website so that you don't get down here to find it closed for a private event." Everyone nodded.

"All done?" Milo asked his girlfriend. He was looking forward to seeing the pictures she snapped. Like her he was a Harry Potter fan, which is why they spent their last vacation at Universal Studios.

"Yeah, it's crowded." Georgie knew that would make the guys uneasy. Plus they were outside which meant they were exposed.

"How about we head over to the museum then?" Liz asked everyone. When she got a chorus of agreements they headed back to the cars. While yes it was crowded, the number of folks milling about was only going to increase as the day went on so it was good they came here first.

* * *

"It's James Bond. Plural." Nadine said looking at the life like figures. This exhibit was temporary so they had lucked out. In a few weeks they wax statues would be moving to another one of the Tussauds locations.

"Are you a fan?" Liz wanted to know.

"You can't live in England and not be a fan. It's a law." Nadine said laughing. "I have seen fist fights breakout during arguments over who was the best Bond. Without alcohol being involved."

"Okay then." Liz wasn't a big fan of the franchise but she had seen some of the movies growing up. "Why don't you explore and we'll take the munchkin. He's due to eat shortly."

"I don't mind." Nadine told her boss.

"I know." Liz made that clear. "Go, have fun." She said pushing Michael to an area with a bench. It was recessed some which would give them privacy.

Jason followed her over and sat down. "I can round everyone up and we can leave." He let her know. She wasn't enjoying this stop.

"Sitting here is fine." Liz should have known he would pick up on her unease. "It's silly, but this place just freaks me out. The figures are so life like and they are all standing there staring at you. I clearly watched one too many horror movies growing up." She said getting a bottle from the diaper bag. The baby got a fresh diaper right after they arrived.

"I thought you would like it here because of the skill it takes to make all the figures." Jason watched her immerse herself in artist displays if they were at the art museum back home.

"I have incredible respect for the skill this takes. The hours of work that go into each statues. The wigs, the paint used on the faces, and the tailored clothing. It's all incredible. I once saw a documentary on the process and it was fascinating. Every single time I come here I get freaked out." She said scooping up Michael and giving him the bottle.

"How many times have you come?" Jason asked her. He loved watching her with Michael.

"This is trip number four. The first was as a tourist. The second was when a friend from college came down to visit while I was staying with Brenda." Liz wished she could visit with her friend, but they were not home this week. "The third time was when Brenda got her figure."

"Brenda has a figure in here?" Jason couldn't imagine the ego trip that had been.

"She has the record for the most magazine covers in one year, as well as the record for the top searched female celebrity three years running." Liz said trying not to laugh. "She is also one of the highest paid models on the planet. The museum held an online vote between her and three other celebrities to see who got in. Brenda crushed the competition. Her figure is in the A-List Party room."

"No comment." Jason wondered if the model had asked them to make an extra figure so she could take it home. It seemed like something she would do. "So where do you think we will end up next?"

"I'd guess either Rodeo Drive, or a studio tour." Liz said grinning down at the baby before looking at Jason. "I don't know what Nadine makes, but I pay Georgie enough that she can do some damage in any one of the stores along that famous street." Her assistant's spending power was helped by the fact that she didn't have much overhead in terms of living expenses. Milo's position meant a free apartment.

"Bernie has a list of household expenses if you want to know." Jason reviewed the books each month, but his accountant paid all the bills and staff salaries.

"It's fine." Liz knew that Jason would be more than generous with Nadine's pay rate. His housekeeper had been working ten and twelve hour days cleaning houses when he first hired her. As a single mom she needed to provide for her children. He told Bernie to raise her pay so that he was her only client. That way she could be home with her family and not out working all the time. Jason even gave her health benefits so that she didn't have to worry about that.

"When can I take you out to dinner? Just the two of us?" Jason wanted to know.

"Whenever you like." Liz smiled over at him. "If we go to Rodeo Drive I can pick up some dresses as well. Not that I need to, I've just never shopped in any of the boutiques."

"You can decide if that's needed. You'll be beautiful no matter what." Jason said with a grin. She would plan their night out in Malibu with her agent, and he would plan something for them when they returned to Port Charles.

"Okay." Liz couldn't wait to see what he planned.

* * *

"Hello Edward." Jasper Jacks stopped and smiled at the older man. The hostess continued and placed a paper on his table so he would know where to go. The older man had been out of town, and now he was back.

"What are you doing here?" Edward gave a glare that looked a lot like Jason's. "This club is for members only."

"I am a member." Jasper said grinning. Edward had been looking into Quartermaine International since last week, so it was a good time for this talk. Namely because Jax wanted to see the look on the older man's face when he learned the news. "I was invited to join last week."

"I don't recall hearing about that." Edward was going to have to talk to Malcolm Barrington about this. There was no way Jacks should have been extended an invitation. This club was for respectable Port Charles business owners. "The owner of a back alley bar is not someone who should be roaming these halls."

"You must be slipping." Jax said with a sly smile. "I thought you kept your finger on the pulse of the business world. I can't imagine that news ever gets by you."

"What are you talking about?" Edward asked narrowing his eyes. "Nothing happens in the business world that I don't know about." He hated to be considered irrelevant.

"So you knew about AJ starting his own business. A business that I now own half of?" Jax and Jason had decided that an even split was the best for now, instead of Jax taking the bigger share. The deal for Jax to purchase the company was still in place.

Edward didn't let the shock of that statement come through on his face. He was having trouble finding out just who held the minority shares of the company. A search of the shareholders simply lead to holding companies based out of the country. From that point the paperwork got muddled. Whoever did the filing was a master. "So Jason is no longer involved in his brother's company?" That was bad because Edward was hoping his grandson's reputation would be another way to get a hold of stock. Dirty money made the SEC break out in hives.

"No." Jax said stretching the truth. While Jason owned stocks he didn't make decisions so it was only a half lie. "With the bulk of my holdings now in the United States I will be moving the company headquarters to New York, and out of Melbourne."

"You're coming to Port Charles?" Edward could work with that. Someone on Jax's staff could surely be bought.

"I certainly am." Jax said smiling. He already had a staff member who was ready to take the bribe Edward offered, if they got that far. Some bad information fed to the older man would keep him chasing his tail. Jason's guy in ELQ would then have room to work unsupervised. Jax was the distraction and he was going to play the role to the hilt. He would stay in Edward's face. "So we will get to see one another often. I plan to be a regular here at the club." Edward often ate lunch at the Port Charles Gentleman's club, mainly because he could eat items that his doctors wouldn't approve of.

"I'm sure that we will." Edward was going to have a front row seat to watching Jax lose his new company. Jason might have stood a chance of winning but not Jasper Jacks. Edward had destroyed John Jacks, and his son was going to go the same way.

"Give my best to your lovely wife." Jax said finally walking to his table. He would send Jason an email so that he was up to date on what was going on, and wait for Edward to make a move.

At his table Edward pulled out his cell phone. "What have you found?"

"Not much." Brian told his boss. "I'm following the paper trail that was used to establish the company. There are a lot of strings to tug on."

"I want you to stop that for the moment and look into the sale of half of my grandson's company to Jasper Jacks." Edward told his assistant. "I want all the information you can get on Jasper, personal and professional."

"I'll have a report for you as soon as possible." Brian told his boss.

"Good. Check in with Logan and see how that is going." Edward said before hanging up the phone. Throwing his napkin down on the table he got up and walked from the dining room. He wanted to go find Malcolm and get Jax's membership revoked.

* * *

They had a great day in Hollywood. After leaving Tussauds they hit up the Hollywood Walk of Fame. That was followed by a visit to the Hollywood sign. Lunch was at the historic Polo Lounge where Nadine and Georgie did get to see several celebrities. After the mid-day meal they toured the Hollyhock House because she thought Jason might like it. A Frank Lloyd Wright house couldn't be passed up. After that the group took a stroll down Rodeo Drive. No one made any purchases though and Georgie almost passed out when she saw the five hundred dollar jeans in the window. Mainly because Maxie had two pairs.

They finished their Hollywood adventure at the Griffin Observatory where they got to watch the sunset. "So did everyone have a good time?" Liz asked as they headed to the cars.

"This was great." Georgie appreciated that Liz would take time from her honeymoon to take them around for the day.

"I can cross this off my travel wish list." Nadine said smiling. It had been a fun day. "I have to admit that I feel like I horned in on your honeymoon. You and Jason should be spending all this time ignoring everyone."

"This is not the typical honeymoon." Liz could admit that. "As new parents we wouldn't have felt comfortable leaving Michael at home. We also aren't super confident in our skills yet. The guys always travel with Jason." She meant the guards. "Since you guys are here, we may as well do some fun stuff. I imagine that at some point next year we'll go away with less of an entourage, right now it just wouldn't work. Tomorrow we are going to spend the day out of the house so that should help with your guilt." She said smiling. Part of that out of the house would be spent on the beach.

"Good." Georgie said before getting in the car.

Nadine got Michael situated before also getting in the car, and Liz got in the front seat as her phone rang. "Hello."

"You got married!" Felix said instead of a greeting.

"Hi Felix." Liz said looking over at her husband with a smile. "How are things?"

"Don't even." Felix told his client.

Liz tried not to laugh. "How about you come to the house tomorrow night and we'll go out to dinner so I can introduce you to Jason."

"You want to go out to dinner? In a restaurant. You are volunteering to ditch your jeans?" Felix wanted to be clear. "You never want to go out. I like Jason already. Also let me say, damn he's fine!"

Liz gave up and laughed. "Yes, yes, and wait until you see him in person." Jason looked over and she smiled.

"I'll make reservations." Felix told her. He was going to get the entire story before the meal was over.

"Somewhere casual." Liz made the request.

"I don't do casual." Felix thought she of all people would know that.

"Jason doesn't like ties." Liz explained why she said that.

"Then tell him not to wear one." Felix replied grinning. He had looked up Jason Morgan and Liz had snared herself a bad boy. A really hot bad boy. "No one will give him a hard time." Felix had enough pull that breaking the dress code at a restaurant was not a problem. "I'll call tomorrow with the deets."

"Call Georgie, she's with me. I won't be answering the phone." Liz told her agent.

"How Hollywood of you, vacationing with your assistant." Felix said laughing. "I think Brenda is rubbing off on you." No such thing was true but he liked messing with Liz. "Tomorrow."

"Yup. Tomorrow." Liz said ending the call. "Felix is taking us to dinner. Hopefully we will survive it." Her smile was super bright.

"We have guards, so we will be fine." Jason was actually looking forward to going out.

"I'm not sure Marco or Rory is a match for Felix." Liz said laughing again. "Now I just have to wait for Brenda and Steven to call. She will be gone for another three weeks, and I have no idea when my brother is returning home. I hope he's having fun." Looking out the window Liz watched as they got on the highway heading back to Malibu. Tomorrow she was going to get some private time with her guy, and then introduce Jason to Felix. Should be a great day.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	35. Chapter 35

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 35

"After breakfast we are heading down to the beach for some sun." Liz told Nadine and Georgie. "Then maybe out to explore Malibu some. Don't confine yourselves to the house. There is plenty to see and do. Museums, parks, and lots of places to be a tourist. You can even head out of Malibu if you like." Liz knew that with a baby along some activities would need to be passed up but she was guessing the ladies would make it work.

"I'm sure we can find some way to get into trouble." Georgie said with a way too innocent grin. She understood now why her boss wanted her to come. Milo being gone for a week wouldn't break them, but with her here Nadine wasn't the only woman with the guards. In a few months the nanny would be much more comfortable with everyone so a pal on trips wouldn't be needed. "Are the prices on items lower here than in Hollywood?" Just because she could spend a lot on clothes didn't mean she wanted too.

"I honestly don't know. I've never shopped for things other than groceries here." Liz said on a small laugh. "All the clothes in the house came from outside California. From back home in New York. Or from my mother. I wasn't joking when I said I rarely leave this house when I come here."

"Do you need anything for tonight?" Georgie could pick something up.

"Nope. I have several dinner appropriate items upstairs." Liz told her assistant. "All with the tags still on them. My mom sent most of them from London when she went with my dad to a conference. She said they screamed Elizabeth." She had to admit that her mother was correct. Each was something she might pick up on her own. "Some things I got while shopping with Carly, who had hopes of me one day getting a social life again." This time Liz's smile was just a bit sad.

"I don't think I've ever seen you in a swimsuit." Georgie looked over at Liz. There was a lot of water around. "Can you even swim?"

"Yup." Liz said putting her mug in the dishwasher. They were all working together to keep the house clear. "I've never been in the ocean though, so going down with Jason will be fun." It just wasn't smart to swim alone. "I'm heading up to kiss on Michael and get into my suit."

"Have fun." Nadine waved as her boss left the kitchen. "So what should we go do?" She asked Georgie as the two women planned their day.

* * *

Jason was coming out of the bathroom in his black board shorts when Elizabeth walked into the room. He heard her on the monitor talking to Michael. If you had told him that a baby could fit so seamlessly into his life Jason would have laughed at you. Before becoming Michael's dad he didn't even have a desire to have children. It just wasn't something he thought about mainly because he didn't know any children. Yet in not even two weeks he had gotten used to having the little boy in his life. The adjustment to having a wife had happened even faster. He was happily settled into family life, and would do anything necessary to protect that.

"Give me a few minutes to get changed." Liz said grabbing her suit and cover up. She walked by Jason and he pulled her close dropping a soft kiss on her lips. "What was that for? Not that I mind."

"I was just thinking about how much you and Michael mean to me. I was too afraid to take the chance even though I wanted you in my life as more than my friend. Then life through some unexpected circumstances my way and suddenly I'm happier than I've ever been. I just wish AJ and Carly didn't have to die for that to happen." He was aware what the price of his joy was.

Liz leaned up and kissed him. "We will make sure that Michael knows his other parents, and we will raise him in a way that will make them proud. I'm happier than I've ever been too. I knew you were hesitant about another relationship, but I didn't really try either. You said you weren't in a place for anything but friendship and I just accepted that. I could have spoken up but I didn't. We still ended up getting it right."

"We did." Jason said kissing her again. "Get changed. I'll wait here." He had visited with his son earlier. It was time to start thinking of Michael that way.

* * *

Logan had been watching the comings and goings at the office of vital records in Miami-Dade country for three days. Noting the staff that worked there and trying to figure out when was the best time to go into the office. An online search had resulted in no hits which meant Carly's birth certificate was more than likely on microfilm, and that the county didn't feel it was worth the money to go back that far with digital records.

In the morning when the office first opened up one clerk manned the desk. Logan had also noticed that this particular department did not get a lot of foot traffic early in the day which worked in his favor. Today Judy Clampett was working the desk. Older woman, grandmotherly type with a penchant for floral dresses. He was smiling as he got out of the car because that was perfect. He would get a feel for what role he wanted to play once they started their conversation. "Good morning." He was standing at the desk, behind her were rows of drawers and one contained the information he wanted.

"Good morning. Can I help you?" Judy asked the young man in front of her.

"I certainly hope so." Logan said with a smile turning on the charm. Not too much charm though because he didn't want to come off like he was hitting on her. "I'm looking for a file on a woman named Carly Benson."

"Do you have the proper forms filled out?" Judy wanted to know. Folks didn't just get to walk in and look at people's lives.

Logan looked at the woman and took in some details. She had a wedding set on her left hand that was dull from being worn for a long time. Around her neck she wore an oval pendant with a hinge and he just bet there were some pictures of grandchildren in that locket. "No." He said going for honesty. "I was kind of hoping to not leave a trail or a clue that I was here."

Judy just arched a brow. "Why?" She had not been expecting that answer. Most folks who were up to no good tried to charm her, which never worked. Honesty was an interesting approach. She was betting he was being honest because he was looking her square in the eyes.

Logan put a picture of Michael on the counter. "This little boy lost his parents about two weeks ago. Now he is worth a whole lotta money. A whole lot." Logan repeated. "At the moment his uncle has custody, and that is right where this little guy needs to be because his uncle isn't looking to get his hands on the inheritance. However other relatives are. Relatives who don't care about Michael." Logan tapped the photo. "They just care about what he has. I'm here to make sure Michael doesn't end up a victim of someone's greed and plans. To do that I need to get information on his mother. She was born in this county, and then put up for adoption. Her name was Carly Benson."

"She was his mother?" The older woman was looking intently at the photo.

"Yes ma'am she was. She wanted her son with his uncle, it's in her will. I'm here to make sure that is honored." Logan was thinking his instinct to be honest had been correct.

"Carly was a good girl. A bit wild for a time there, but you could tell that was just a phase." Judy had seen the news of Carly's passing and felt sad at the loss.

"You knew her?" Logan asked grinning. He really had lucked out in thinking someone's grandmother might be more willing to turn a blind eye.

"For a time I was neighbors with her parents. I hadn't seen her in years. Not until the news of her engagement broke and her picture was in the paper. I thought it was nice that she found her place. Finding out she was adopted threw her for a loop." Judy had worked for years as a social worker, coming to this department five years ago because she wanted something slower. "You are the third person to request her file since I've been here. The first one had all the necessary forms, so he got to view the file. The second guy never got a peek because he had no paperwork and a crappy attitude." She looked at Logan. "I believe a parent's wish for their child should be honored, and I've seen money do horrible things to families. So I'm going to let you look at the file. But if you are lying to me, and that baby gets hurt, I will find a way to make you pay."

Logan totally believed that threat. "I swear to you that I'm working to make sure this child does not get hurt." Jason might be a mobster, but he was a good man.

Judy nodded before walking away from the counter. Not even ten minutes later she was back. "You have thirty minutes, use the desk over there. You can't take anything with you, but photos are fine."

"Thank you." Logan took the file, had a seat, and started reading.

* * *

Luke sat in the back of the limo and sipped some very fine Scotch. He had landed in Louisville International airport and a car had been waiting. This was standard when he flew in to see Karpov which was why Luke didn't bother to reserve a rental. He was draining his glass when the door opened. "Thank you." Luke said tipping the driver who simply nodded.

From the car he walked into the non-descript but well-kept single story building that housed Karpov's executive offices. There was no sign hanging out front to indicate what type of business was housed inside, but a discreet plaque by the door stated that Andre Karpov was a financial advisor. That always made Luke laugh, it was the fanciest term for loan shark he had ever seen.

"Mr. Spencer, you can go right in." The receptionist said with a wide smile. "Would you like coffee?"

"No, thank you." Luke said smiling back. He'd never seen the same receptionist twice, but they were always gorgeous. In the office Karpov was on the phone and he pointed to the empty chair. Luke could stay because the conversation was in Russian. Instead he looked up at the television that was currently on the BBC channel. The news was on and the story immediately snagged his attention.

"So far there are no leads in the murders of AJ and Caroline Quartermaine." The reporter stated in her posh British accent. "Scotland Yard has promised the American authorities that they are giving this case their full attention. It seems there is just a lack of evidence in the late night road incident that took the two lives. You may recall that recently an inquest into the matter was held and it was at that time the official verdict of vehicular homicide was handed down."

Luke stopped listening as he watched the footage that had been recorded at the courthouse. Lucky walked past the camera heading into the courtroom. His son had mentioned going to the inquest but he had lied about the verdict. Luke was willing to bet that the lie was because Lucky had something to do with the accident. He told the boy to hang back and just get information, but it looked like his son might have had another plan. Maybe one that included getting his hands on some money and cutting his dad out altogether. Luke would need to think about this development. He came back to the room just as Karpov was hanging up the phone.

The Russian mobster turned off the television and looked at his guest. "How was your flight?"

"Very good." Luke grinned as Karpov removed vodka from the mini fridge by his desk. "To your health." Luke said taking the chilled glass.

Karpov nodded and both men drank. "Thank you for coming out. Unfortunately I received information this morning that has made me realize that chasing this particular person isn't worth it. I have no desire to piss off Jason Morgan, so I am coming out the loser on this one." The Russian was not happy, but nor was he stupid. Morgan was out of his weight class, and the Bratva would not back a move that might start a war.

"You don't normally cross paths with him down this way." Luke said fishing for more information. Morgan's name got his attention.

"I wouldn't have crossed paths with him this time if not for his recent marriage. The man who owes me money is now Morgan's brother in-law. Of course Steven Webber's sister was not Mrs. Morgan when he was gambling in my establishment." Karpov told his associate leaning back in his chair. "I am surprised Morgan has not been in touch." Karpov was hoping to get a favor in exchange for waiving payment of the debt. "I am considering calling him, but since there have been no sightings of him since the wedding I am guessing he is on his honeymoon."

Luke's brain was already coming up with a plan. Steven Webber might be a way for Luke to get his hands on some of Caroline's money. If Karpov was backing off that meant the Webber siblings were close. If they weren't then Morgan wouldn't be an issue. He wouldn't incur a debt for someone his wife could care less about, and Karpov was never wrong about how people were connected. "The siblings are close?"

"Close enough that she helped him through rehab as well as getting settled here." Karpov did his research. Just because the Webber woman lived in Morgan's building didn't mean they were friends, but his agent hadn't been able to rule it out. Karpov was trying to decide whether or not to move forward and then the wedding story broke. Being cautious had saved his skin. "I am guessing that he didn't want to go to her again with his hand out. However my going after him might make him call his newest family member seeking help. Morgan is too powerful for me to take on."

"Would you be willing to sell me the debt?" Luke wasn't going to say too much, but he wanted Steven in his pocket.

Karpov just looked at Luke. If Spencer was still willing to go after Steven then he must be expecting the pay out to be worth it. Which meant more money than what was owed. Probably a lot more. So once again risk assessment needed to happen. Insist on a cut, or walk away with the books balanced. There was also a third option. "Five hundred thousand. It covers the debt, and ensures my silence." At least for the time being. All secrets had the perfect revelation time.

"Deal." Luke didn't even need to think about it, and yes he was aware he was tipping his hand. Karpov had clearly decided to walk away, and Luke respected the man's desire to still make a profit. "For that I want all the information you have on Webber."

"Of course." Karpov pushed a legal sized envelope across the desk. "He crossed into Mexico. The cameras caught him." The Russian would sit back and wait for Luke to disappear. His son was weak and would not be an obstacle. The location of Spencer's casino would be a good expansion point for Karpov's growing empire. "We have since had that footage erased."

"Good to know." Luke grinned at the other man. He still didn't have a fully formed plan, but something would come to him. "I'll start tapping sources and you'll have your money by sundown tonight."

"Of course." Karpov said opening his humidifier. "Cigar?"

"Thank you." Luke loved a Cuban and he was hoping that now that relations with the country had thawed getting them would be easier.

"I have a room at the casino booked for you. If you have time to stay and enjoy yourself. I thought we could have dinner together. I have a young lady you should meet." Karpov extended the invitation. "Unless you wish to get started right away."

"There is always time for pretty young ladies." Luke said with a wolfish grin. He needed to make some calls and moving without information wouldn't happen. So a night, or two, of fun wouldn't hurt anything.

"The room is yours for as long as you like." Karpov said standing up indicating the meeting was over. This might be Luke's last hurrah, as the locals said, so he would let the older man enjoy himself. "So is the young lady."

"Good to know." Luke nodded before walking out of the office. He was going to turn a sow's ear into a silk purse. Steven Webber was going to bring a payday big enough that Luke could retire in style.

* * *

"You're staring at me again." Liz said with a small smile.

"I like that suit." Jason's wide smile got wider when she blushed.

"I've never worn it before." Liz admitted trying to keep from pinking up too much. "I don't use the pool either when I'm here." She had told him about the ocean when they arrived at the beach. They had indeed taken a swim in the warm water and were now resting on their towels. "I'll tell Brenda you approve."

"Did she buy it?" Jason might actually have a reason to like the annoying model.

"No, she designed it. She has a whole line of swimwear. She sends me a couple every year when they come out. They are upstairs in the dresser. I gave a few out as gifts too." Skye, Carly, and Georgie had all received suits because they were really nice. Brenda spent a lot of time in bikinis so she knew what worked and what didn't. She made sure to only send Liz things her friend would actually wear. "I figure if I'm going to break out a bikini, my honeymoon is the time."

"We need to put in a pool at the house we're going to have built." Jason liked how much skin he got to see. He also really liked the color. She looked good in red.

"We'll only get to use it three months a year, unless we enclose it. If you do enclose it then you have a better chance of seeing me in more suits like this one." The bright red two piece had gathered halter top and hipster bottoms. The thing Liz really liked was that the two pieces were separates. In her dresser she had other tops and bottoms that could be mixed and matched depending on just how much skin she wanted to flaunt.

"If we enclose it then we can ditch the suits completely." He said laughing when she blushed again. His wife was fairly modest, although she didn't hide from him which he loved. Being naked outside was something she would need to work up to. He'd be happy to help her with that. "Did you enjoy swimming in the ocean?" Jason generally did so while on the island.

"I did. I'm glad that I finally got to experience it." Liz said leaning closer to her husband. "I like you in your shorts. Any chance I can get you into a speedo? Brenda's line includes those as well." Her friend said they were only sold in Europe.

"No." Jason said shaking his head. "I'll do a lot for you, but speedos won't happen. I don't even wear briefs." He was strictly a boxer brief guy. Preferably black.

"But skinny dipping will?" Liz just shook her head.

"I'll get naked for you anytime and anywhere I can." He said letting his voice drop to a husky whisper.

"I'll certainly take you up on that offer." Liz said giving it right back to him. She saw his eyes darken and knew that he was feeling aroused. "I'm ready to head inside. I'm thinking a shower would be nice. To get the salt off my skin." Liz was enjoying flirting with him.

"That is a great idea." Jason said getting up and grabbing his towel before holding out a hand to help her up. He didn't want to waste another minute. She put her hand in his and together they headed up to the house.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	36. Chapter 36

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

Not Safe For Work

* * *

Chapter 36

The gang had already left and the guards that remained behind were not in the house. That meant they had the place to themselves. So the second they cleared the door Jason took Elizabeth's mouth in a heated kiss. She dropped the towels she had been carrying, then wrapped her arms around his neck as he lifted her right off her feet. "Upstairs."

"Yup." Jason said pulling his mouth from hers. Kissing on the stairs might lead to him tripping.

"I can walk." Liz said when he didn't put her down.

"That puts you too far away for my liking." Jason told her as they walked through the main room.

She had to admit to being impressed that he could carry her up the steps and not even be winded. He didn't stop in the bedroom but took her into the bathroom before putting her back on her feet. "I'll get the shower going." After they left an automatic water system was being installed in the house. With the water going she was already pulling off her white knit cover up when she turned to face her husband, who was naked. "Not wasting any time I see. I appreciate that."

"The clothes were just in the way, and you are overdressed." He told her walking forward, which forced her back into the glass enclosure. While he watched she pushed down her briefs and removed her top.

"Where is your wedding set?" Jason asked kissing her hand.

"In my jewelry box, I didn't want to lose it in the ocean. My hand feels naked without it." Liz admitted as her free hand moved across his chest. "I'll be putting it back on as soon as we are done in the shower. Not that you need to rush."

"I must admit to feeling somewhat impatient to have you." He said before taking her mouth in another deep kiss. Reaching out he grabbed the body wash and filled up his palm. They needed to get clean so they could get dirty. He rubbed his hand together and then began washing her.

"That feels amazing." Liz loved it when he touched her for any reason, adding bubbles to the mix only improved the pleasure. "I may never want to use my loofah again."

"I would have no problem running my hands over your beautiful body on a daily basis." Jason let his wife know. "You just let me know."

"Hmm mmm." Liz practically purred. His hands were just a bit rough because of handling his gun and working on his bike. Those calluses were making her shiver.

"Did I miss any spots?" Jason wanted to know.

"I think you should start at the top and go down to my toes again just to be sure." She said laughing as she stepped under the spray. It was her turn to wash him, and she was looking forward to that. "Your turn."

"Do you worse." Jason was enjoying playing with her.

Liz rubbed his body wash between her palms. "I love this scent." She let him know. "Before we were dating whenever you gave me hugs it would transfer to my clothes and I loved that. By the way you should know you give great hugs." She started on his shoulders and making small circles moved down his body.

"I think I hugged you more than anyone I'm not related to." Jason could feel his heart beating harder. The fact that he was getting aroused was obvious. "I liked the way you felt against me."

Liz looked up at him because she was on her knees washing his legs. The more she touched him the harder he got. "Get under the spray." She said not getting up. When all the soap was washed off she crooked her finger at him. "Right here." She said indicating where we wanted him to stand. When he was in the correct spot she reached up and grasped his engorged shaft.

"Your hand on my cock feels amazing." Jason let her know.

"Is this the correct way to touch you, or should I hold you tighter?" This wasn't something she had done for him before, and she wanted to get it right.

"It's perfect." Jason wasn't going to criticize how she touched him. He was enjoying this too much to find fault. "You need to stop." He told her telling himself to move her hand.

"I don't mind." Liz said gripping just a bit tighter as she stroked. When he groaned her smile took a wicked turn. "You'll take care of me." Of that she had no doubt. "If I didn't have soap on my hand, I'd take you in my mouth. Maybe next time." She said teasing him by planting that image in his head.

"Get up." Jason said finding the strength to back up. He was at his breaking point. Leaving her hanging wouldn't have happened if she had taken him all the way, but he wanted to be inside her. He rinsed off again before reaching for the condoms that he put in her shower caddy when they arrived. Covered he pulled her close and kissed her. His hands were massaging her bottom as he lifted her and his mouth latched onto a nipple. He needed to make sure she was ready to take him.

"Jason!" Liz arched hard when he started sucking against her. His mouth her on breast made her burn. He switched sides and she whimpered.

"Ready." Jason was breathing hard as the anticipation was building.

"Yes." Liz nodded because she was more than ready. She'd been ready when she was giving him the handjob. Seeing him so aroused got her wet.

Without another word he pushed inside her high and deep. "Fuck!" Jason said holding still and counting back from ten. He needed a minute because he was on the edge of blowing. Leaning his forward he put his forehead against her shoulder.

"Oh my god." Liz was digging her fingers into his shoulders as he started to move. "Harder." She was right there and her whole body was shaking as she tried to hold back.

"You're going to kill me." Jason groaned, but he gave her what she requested. With each thrust of his hips he pushed harder and faster inside her until he had to give into his release.

"YES!" Liz screamed loud as she just exploded. She was panting as the pleasure spiked a second time because Jason was still moving inside her.

He was breathing hard when he finally returned to the present. He swore he might have left his body at some point. Elizabeth's fingers were moving through his hair and the motion helped to calm him. "That was incredible."

"I think the word you want is epic." Liz arched some as he pulled his body from hers. Her legs were wrapped around his hips keeping him close so she leaned forward and kissed him before straightening out. "We should clean up and go get a snack." Between the swimming and the sex she was hungry.

"Isn't that how this started?" He asked laughing. "An early lunch sounds great. Do you want to stay in or go out?"

"Stay in." Liz said reaching for her body wash. They were going out later so for now she didn't want to share him.

* * *

"Did you have a good day?" Jason was sitting in the nursery feeding Michael. The little boy's blue eyes were latched onto his face as they had their one sided conversation. "Nadine said you guys went to a couple of museums. Your mom likes to go to museums back home, so I think we can all go together."

Since his son was out of the house most of the day Jason just wanted to spend some time with him. He would be going out shortly for dinner with Elizabeth and Felix, so he was taking this time for them. Elizabeth had been in the nursery while he was showering, now Jason was dressed and she was getting ready so he could have Michael to himself.

"Tomorrow we're going to spend the whole day together." Jason promised his son. "Right now I'm taking your mom out to dinner. That's why I'm so dressed up." He explained as the little boy finished his bottle. "I have time to read you a story though." He put a cloth on his shoulder and burped the baby. "How does some Cat in the Hat sound?" Jason shifted the baby so he could hold the book too.

* * *

In their bedroom Elizabeth was smiling listening to Jason talk to their son. He was going to be a great dad. She had been applying the last of her makeup as Jason read the book he picked out. She also read a story when she went in to hang out with the baby. Having a family of her own was something she had always aspired to, she just didn't see it happening this way. No matter how Michael came into her life, she was going to love him with her whole heart for as long as she lived. When they returned to Port Charles they were going to be under scrutiny, but it wasn't anything they couldn't handle. No one was going to be allowed to break their family apart. Especially not Edward Quartermaine.

Getting up she walked into the closet and the sight of Jason's clothes hanging opposite hers made her smile again. She grabbed her dress and slipped it on checking her reflection in the floor length mirror. Happy her shoes went on next. She wasn't going to over think the look for the night, everything fit which really was all you needed. Out in the bedroom the monitor was silent which meant Jason was probably downstairs, and she needed to join him to make introductions.

* * *

Jason was talking to the guys and stopped mid-sentence when his wife came downstairs. A slow smile came to his face. She looked beautiful. What he liked was that she didn't go in for super tight clothes, or anything really low cut. Elizabeth was every inch a lady.

Liz saw him smiling and smiled back. "Hi."

"You look amazing." Jason let her know.

"I've never worn this dress before and I thought tonight would be a good time to change that." She was in red. Head to toe. The A-line dress had a vintage feel that she really loved. It was eye grabbing red with a heart dotted illusion sweetheart neckline. The full skirt drew the eyes to her legs, and the tie around her waist showed off her figure. The outfit was fun and flirty, making it perfect for night out with Jason. It was also demure enough for a night out with friends. Her shoes were red, and in her ears were red rose earrings although with her hair down you couldn't see them. Of course her wedding set was back in place which completed the outfit. "You look great in your suit." He was in dark blue with a white shirt open at the throat.

"We should go out." Jason held out his hand. With Michael upstairs Jason was feeling overly protective about who was inside the house. In time he would loosen up.

"Night guys." Liz waved to everyone. Georgie gave her a thumbs up meaning she liked the dress and Elizabeth laughed. They walked out just as Felix got out of his car.

"Well look at you." Felix said giving her the once over. "I knew you would look amazing in something other than blue jeans. I should have pushed harder for you to go out. Who is that?" He asked about the dress. Designers would probably line up to dress her as Mrs. Jason Morgan.

"No clue who made it. It was a gift from my mother." Liz said shrugging her shoulders.

That answer didn't surprise Felix one bit. If it was from Carolyn that meant it had been purchased overseas. "When you take it off look at the label. Their clothes work for you, so you might consider getting more. Now that you are a society wife your picture is going to appear in the paper. Introduce me to your hubby." Morgan was better looking in person than in print. Rich and smart eye candy was never a bad thing.

"Felix I'd like you to meet my husband Jason Morgan. Jason this is Felix Dubois the genius who has guided my career. Making sure that I have the best of everything, and not letting anyone take advantage of me." She had a wide, clearly fake, smile on her face when she was finished.

"Smartass." Felix said with no real heat. "You left out gorgeous. Never leave out gorgeous. Jason, it's a pleasure."

"It's nice to meet you too." Jason said shaking the agent/publicist's hand. "Elizabeth speaks of you often."

"Good things?" Felix asked his client's husband. "Because I really am as fabulous as she said earlier so I cannot imagine her saying anything negative." He said tooting his own horn.

Jason had to fight off a grin. At some point Felix must have talked with Diane, which had to have been hilarious because they both had strong egos. "All good things."

"Fabulous. I won't raise the percentage I take then. She has been decidedly mum with details about you. Every now and again she would drop your name, but Liz has been stingy about her life on the east coast." Felix commented giving his client, and friend, some side eye. "I had to pump Brenda for details about the Jason that Liz kept mentioning. Ms. Barrett is not a fan of yours." The model had some pretty scathing things to say.

"The feeling is mutual." Jason didn't hesitate to say.

Felix's grin just got wider. That was a story he needed to get. He was guessing that Liz was going to be keeping her husband and friend apart as much as possible.

"So where are we having dinner?" Elizabeth wanted to know, and she wanted to change topics. The restaurant was going to be somewhere trendy so she was already bracing to have her picture taken. "What?" She asked at Felix's look.

"I called earlier and said where we were going. I wanted your new guy to have a chance to set up security. Someone who gives very good phone answered." Felix looked between the couple. Jason looked over his shoulder, so the agent guessed that one of those men was who had answered the phone. "Are they coming too?" Liz was surrounded by hot men, which was not a bad way to go through life.

"Yes. They are part of the security team that came west with us." Liz explained to her friend. "The taller of the two is Marco, and the man next to him is Rory."

"I like you already." Felix told Jason. "She never takes security seriously. E-ver." Felix drew out the syllables. "I keep telling her it's only a matter of time before someone figures out who she really is and she needs to take measures to stay safe before that happens. She never listens. Don't roll your eyes at me!" Felix said to Liz, who was doing just that. "You know I'm right. I was thrilled last year when you had to buzz me onto your property, before that I just needed to open the gate. Since you lived out here alone, that wasn't safe."

"Marco where are we going?" Liz asked the guard and ignoring Felix's rant.

"Geoffrey's." Marco responded while still standing beside the car. Her agent was pretty funny so far. They had run him already and he came back clean.

Just because Liz didn't eat out didn't mean she wasn't familiar with the local dining establishments. Geoffrey's was an upscale restaurant with ocean views and terrace that was always packed. "Outside?" The guys probably wouldn't like that.

"Please. Salt water ages the skin. That's why I never go in the ocean. I have a photo shoot tomorrow, and I'm not destroying my very expensive facial. We are sitting inside, it's a gorgeous night which means the interior of the restaurant will be empty. Everyone will be on the terrace." Plus Felix figured that would relax the mob guys. Or the alleged mob guys. "We need to get going. I left early to give you time to regal me of your romance before dinner, but traffic was a nightmare. So you'll have to tell me over the meal. Now we have just enough time for me to have a look at that ring."

Liz held out her hand. "Most people don't just demand to inspect other people's jewelry. That wasn't at all subtle." She pointed out.

"That word is not even in my vocabulary. I'm kind of insulted that you would even think it was." Felix said examining the ring. "Stunning is though. So is damn, wowza, and you go girl. Well done Jason."

"Thank you." Jason knew that he was expected to say something.

"We will follow you over." Liz said taking her hand back. Felix was an original that was for sure. She and Jason headed over to the car. "So first impressions."

"If he wasn't gay, and she wasn't married, I'd say he was perfect for Diane." Jason said making everyone laugh. "I'm not going to have to talk much during dinner am I?"

"Nope." Liz said with a sunny smile. "The occasional grunt will suffice." She and Felix were very chatty when they got together.

"I can handle that." Jason said helping her into the car.

* * *

They arrived at the restaurant and there were no photographers which was shocking. Felix said it was because it was the middle of the week, and no one went out in Malibu in the middle of the week but tourists. They were immediately sat. Marco and Rory were sat at a separate table, and Liz was happy to see that they were given menus as well. She'd never been in a restaurant with Jason before with the guys around. They'd hung out at the No Name a few times, but that was with their friends.

"So, let me start by saying that you were gorgeous in that gown." Felix wanted her to know. "Who styles you in New York?"

"No one." Liz told him. "I generally dress the same there as I do here. Getting married in blue jeans tends to be frowned upon."

"I wouldn't have minded that." Jason said reviewing the menu.

"You're a denim fan as well?" Felix was hoping that maybe Jason was more into fashion. The man was sitting across the table in a fitted suit that cost almost a thousand dollars. Felix had several suits from that label in his closet.

Liz just grinned. "He's not going to release my inner fashionista."

"Part of my job is to think about your image." Felix told his stubborn client. "It's not fair but women are judged more harshly in the public eye then men."

"All the more reason to stay in my cave." Liz wasn't going to change who she was to please some random fashion critic. "We've had this conversation too many times to count. You won't win. Jason likes my jeans."

Felix grinned watching how Jason was looking over at Liz. He would be lying if he said he had worried that his friend was spending too much time alone. Her work was her life, and that could lead to all kinds of problems. He had been hopeful when she mentioned Ewan, but he turned out to be a jerk. But the universe had made up for it a major way. Jason's adoration of Liz was right there for everyone to see. It was clear that the feeling was mutual on her end. "Let's table that discussion for now. We can always find time to argue about that. Tell me how the two of you met."

"Carly introduced us." Liz said feeling a twinge of sadness at the mention of her friend.

"I'm sorry for that loss. Of AJ too." Felix told them. They were people that Liz mentioned frequently. If they weren't keeping their relationship quiet he would have flown in for the funeral.

"That is a good way for me to tell you my other news." Liz said keeping the conversation moving. "Jason and I are parents." So far Michael had not gotten a lot of press, and they wanted to keep it that way.

Felix nodded after sipping his martini. This would be the only drink he had since he was driving back to L.A. after dinner. "That was in the news, but no one has seen a picture of your son." He knew the child was biologically Jason's nephew. "I'm going to advise you to try to keep it that way. You don't need strangers making harsh comments online about him. And that will happen. With you not working under your given name you will have a good shot at him having a normal childhood. Or sort of normal." Felix said with a smirk. Jason's job probably meant life wouldn't ever be normal. Felix was going to need to figure out how to spin that when Liz was finally outed.

The appetizers came and Felix looked at the very attractive couple sitting across from him. "Okay regale me with your love story. Start at the beginning and don't leave anything out." He told them.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	37. Chapter 37

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright is intended.

* * *

Chapter 37

Logan had spent yesterday, after getting Carly's bio mom's name, sitting at a desk behind his computer. Then he took a trip to a local hospital and waded through their paper files which were stored in a dusty basement. When he got back home he spent the rest of the day on the phone. As far as he was concerned it was the absolute worst way to spend the day. All that sitting made him antsy which was why he ended the night, and started today with long runs. That time out also helped him put his thoughts in order.

When he got home last night he called Cooper, and wasn't surprised to get his friend's voicemail. It would have been early in the morning in England which meant his friend was likely sleeping. So Logan had showered and hit the hay. This morning after his run he had gotten a call, not from Cooper, but from another person he called yesterday. Now it was time for Logan to make his first call of the morning. To Port Charles.

"Corelli." Francis was still home drinking coffee. In about thirty minutes he would head over to his office and officially start his work day. Not that he was ever really off when he was home, especially with Jason out of town. The mob guys were always on call unless they were away on vacation. And he always took his wife away for vacation so he could give her his undivided attention. If he stayed here then someone, not Jason or Johnny, would call.

"It's Hayes." Logan said leaning back in his office chair. "What can you tell me about the Spencer family?" He got right to it. Small talk wasn't his thing.

"Tell me they are not involved in this case." Francis really did not want to go there. That family was a pain in the ass.

"I'm afraid so. Carly's mother was a teenager named Bobbie Brock who had a lot of arrests for prostitution under her belt. I spent most of the day tracking her down, and got nowhere. Which lead me to realization that the name was an alias. Not wanting to waste time I reached out to the detective that Carly hired because he also looked at the sealed file and he told me after months of looking he found a connection to a family in New York named Spencer. Which is why Carly ended up in Port Charles, but by the time she arrived in your town the Spencer family was long gone. So then I called AJ's detective, and he told me he took that nugget and found Luke Spencer and his son living in New Mexico, but Luke said he didn't have any relatives named Bobbie. So I started digging into Luke and he is so clean he squeaks but the Port Charles connection has me wanting more answers. I think he's lying about Bobbie."

"You are probably correct." Francis refilled his coffee cup while they talked. "Luke doesn't tell the truth unless it benefits him, and he was never clean enough to squeak. He must not have realized that the detective worked for AJ, or that Carly was involved with the Quartermaine family. If he had Luke would have sworn he had been looking for Carly himself. The chance to get near the Quartermaine coiffeurs would not have been wasted. Only that reunion would have had to take place out of town because Luke can't return to Port Charles. Any idea how Bobbie and Luke are connected?"

"I'll answer that if you tell me why Luke can't go to Port Charles." Logan replied grinning. Since he was more than likely on his way to see Spencer information was a good thing.

"You first." Francis liked working with Logan.

"They are brother and sister. I only figured that out because Bobbie listed her Aunt Ruby in her hospital paperwork, which I was able to have a look at." The detectives hadn't gone that route as far as Logan could tell.

A hefty bribe made the clerk in charge of those files look the other way during the search, and had loosened his tongue so that he was willing to divulge that no one else had requested that file in the ten years he had been working there. Logan didn't trust most people so he was taking that with a grain of salt. However neither one of the other detectives recognized the name Ruby, so the clerk might have been on the level.

"Luke also had an Aunt Ruby, she died when he was young." Francis hadn't heard that name in years. He hadn't been in Port Charles during Luke's youth but Francis got the entire story from Sonny right after the mob boss ordered Spencer run from town. "Spencer started working for the Smith family, and was pretty high up in that organization when Sonny came to town and took over. The Smiths were not happy with losing power and they tried to make things hard for Sonny and that ended up being the reason they got wiped out. Sonny hired some of their guys, Spencer was one of them. Luke might have made a name for himself with us only he liked to knock his common law wife around, a woman named Laura. Sonny found out and burned Spencer's club to the ground before making it known Port Charles was not a safe place for him to be."

"His lady let him take their boy?" Logan was surprised about that.

"Rumor had it Luke did something worse to Laura before she was his lady, so she might have been scared to stop him. She married someone else and they left town about a year after Luke did. Haven't heard about her since." Francis told the younger man. "We were not keeping track of him, but were told that if he returned he wasn't to leave Port Charles alive."

"Seems a strong reaction to Luke hitting his lady. I'm surprised Sonny got involved at all, but generally the punishment for something like that is a beat down." Logan knew how the mob guys handled problems. It was generally done over three warnings, Luke didn't even get that which hinted to something else being the problem.

"The guys that were here, and high up in the organization, at the time were surprised too because before that Luke wasn't on Sonny's shit list. They actually got along really well, folks were thinking that Spencer might be made a lieutenant at some point, then almost overnight things changed. Luke ran a blues club. He also handled the numbers racket and found people for Sonny. There is no indication that there were business problems." It wasn't until a year or so after his former boss's death that Francis learned about Sonny's abusive childhood. The reaction to Spencer made more sense, but Francis wasn't going to talk about that now.

"How did Luke come to Smith's attention?" Logan wanted to know.

"Luke ran cons for a living. He was good too." Francis passed along more information. "When you go see him you might want to make sure that you drop the Quartermaine name. That might get him to talk."

"I plan to make sure he knows Edward wants someone to do some dirty work for a hefty payout." Logan was quiet for a minute. "I wonder how he will get around the fact that he can't return."

"No clue, but we will certainly be waiting to welcome him if he shows up." Francis had a cold smile on his face.

"You hear from Cooper?" Logan wanted to know.

"He's not getting any information, its tourist season which means the towns around where AJ lived are flooded with strangers at the moment. But he's sticking with it." Francis knew that Barrett just needed one small break and he would turn up information.

"Timing is everything." Logan knew that for a fact. His friend was good at his job though, and if there was something to find he would do just that. "I have a location on Spencer so it looks like I'm going to be taking a field trip."

"Good luck, and be careful." Francis warned the younger man.

"Thanks, and you know it." Logan commented before hanging up and going to pack a bag.

* * *

Francis headed over to the offices but he didn't go to his space instead he went to Johnny's office. Cody and Renaldo were already waiting. "I spoke to Hayes before I left the house." He said starting the meeting. "Carly is a member of the Spencer family."

"Seriously?" Johnny hadn't heard that name in years. Luke left Port Charles long before Jason came to work for them. In fact Johnny had been the one to run the older man out of town. It was one of his first big assignments as an enforcer. "Talk about strange bedfellows. That is one family I never would have guessed Carly was part of."

"Logan knows where Luke is." Francis told the guys. "He will check in after contact has been made."

"Which means we need to get ready for some sort of invasion, because I don't see Luke just letting a chance to access the Quartermaine bank accounts go by." Johnny looked at his friend.

"Someone is going to give me a history lesson at some point, correct?" Cody looked between the three men. Renaldo didn't look lost so he must know who Luke Spencer is.

"I'll do it after the meeting." Renaldo told Francis and Johnny. He had grown up in Port Charles and started working for Sonny as a runner when he was a teen. He had from time to time taken things over to the blues club Luke owned, so he knew the man and why he no longer lived in Port Charles. "He can't come back here."

"No, he can't." Francis said giving that some thought. "But Johnny is correct, Luke won't let a chance at this much money pass him by. So if he can't come back, he'll need to send someone in his place."

"We have the upper hand if we know they are coming." Cody added to the conversation. Even without the full history he knew that much. "However we stop them, we need to make sure that this comes back on Edward to put an end to his custody bid."

"When Logan checks in see if he can hang around to see if Luke gets any visitors after contact is made. If we can get a visual on who is coming that would be even better." Johnny suggested.

"Logan is planning on dropping Edward's name so he might be invited to stay." Francis passed along.

"Edward can't afford to personally contact the people he wants to make a bid for custody." Renaldo said as everyone looked at him. "I'm willing to bet that Edward is going to ask Logan to handle the initial offer, and possibly any contact going forward. We need to find out if Logan is recording his conversations with Edward." Hayes had worked for them before and was smart. Renaldo would bet all the money in his wallet that Logan had already thought of that.

"Look at you with the smart moves." Johnny said grinning.

"When he calls I'll ask." Francis liked working with smart people. "I'm trying to decide if I want to call Jason and tell him this. On one hand this is a major breakthrough, on the other hand nothing is going to happen for at least another couple of days." Even if Logan approaches Spencer right away, it would take some time to figure out what move to make next.

"I say wait." Johnny looked at the other men in the room. Majority would determine their course of action.

"I say wait as well, and blame Johnny if Jason is mad at the choice." Cody said grinning.

"Ass." Johnny said while laughing.

"My girl is pregnant and Jason is scary when he is angry. I need to go home uninjured at night." Cody said grinning wider.

"What do you think Renaldo?" Francis was also grinning.

"I'm going to say wait. There isn't anything he can do right now. None of us can do anything right now. Plus Cody said it and he's my boss." The enforcer answered.

"Suck up." Johnny said shaking his head. "I out rank Cody, I'd like to point that out."

"But he's Jason's brother." Renaldo explained why he made his choice.

"Smart and handsome, the ladies must love you." Cody said messing with his friend.

"He's only interested in one woman." Johnny said batting his eyelashes.

"It's a wonder we get anything done." Francis loved working with this crew. "We will wait, and throw O'Brien under the bus if it's the wrong choice."

"Come on, I'll give you that history lesson." Renaldo knew the meeting was over.

"Later." Cody said following his friend out of the office.

"Luke is about to be a whole lotta stupid." Johnny said shaking his head. Greed made people do some truly dumb things.

"Yeah. I'm hoping he thinks that because Sonny is gone he can just waltz back into town." Francis would have no problem taking Luke out. "No matter what, whoever he sends here is not going to like what happens when they arrive."

"No they won't." Johnny was one hundred percent in agreement with that statement.

* * *

"Do you come out here often?" Jason asked as they took a break. They were in Malibu State Creek Park. Earlier they had done the first half of one of the more strenuous trails to get in a good workout. He was enjoying looking at Elizabeth in her black sports top and grey running shorts that showed off a lot of leg.

"Nope." Liz said grinning. "I use the gym equipment at the house. I don't really feel comfortable walking out here by myself. Despite what Felix said I do consider security." They hadn't passed another person in the several hours they had been on the trail.

Jason nodded as he looked at the view they had stopped to enjoy. "I like hearing that. It's isolated out here." They had Marco and Rory with them because Jason knew areas like this were often that way. "It's a good workout though." They were both sweating.

Liz looked over and smiled. Jason was in workout gear and he looked yummy. Grey shorts, darker than hers, and a dark blue sleeveless top that showed off his biceps. Like her he was also in sneakers. This was a more casual look than most people got to see. "I think I'm going to need to have a soak later tonight." They were on the Bulldog Loop Trail which was listed as difficult on the website, and was 14.3 miles long. They had pushed themselves hard by setting a quick pace to cover the first half of the hike.

On the way back to where the car was parked they would take things slower. She took a sip from her bottle of water and gazed at the view from the trail's highest point. "I've often wondered where the painting in the living room was done." It was a huge piece of art and she had asked the former owners if she could keep it because looking at it made her feel peaceful. Standing here she was looking at the painting come to life.

"I can't imagine lugging art materials up here." Jason was also taking in the view. His muscles were going to be sore later tonight, but he had enjoyed himself. "There are hiking trails back home, we should explore some of them." They had worked out together in the gym, but that was it.

"I'm game if you are." Elizabeth was also looking forward to exploring more trails here in California when they returned. "There are places in the park that are good for picnics. We should come back with Michael and hang out."

"I like the sound of that." Jason said smiling at his wife. He never had a woman in his life who wanted to go out and hike before. It was nice because he needed to get out of the office from time to time. "If we can't fit it in before we leave we can have a picnic when we get back home."

"We can go to nowhere and talk about the house." Liz wanted to get started on the plans.

"Tomorrow night I'd like to go out to dinner again. Just us. Somewhere nice." Jason was serious about them having regular date nights. Also with them leaving in a few days private time like this might be hard to come by. When they went out to dinner in Port Charles the media would be there taking pictures. "Something Felix said has been sticking with me."

"What's that?" Liz asked before taking another sip of water. She had a pretty good idea what he was about to say.

"Do you have a plan in place for when someone discovers that Elizabeth Morgan is the same person as M.O. Gene?" Jason wanted to know. It honestly wasn't something he thought much about until she told him about her sister Sarah. Now worrying about some lunatic stalking his wife was at the front of his mind. Clearly it was on Felix's mind as well.

"Let's grab a couple of rocks." Liz said taking a seat and waiting for him to do so as well. "You guys should join us." She told the guards. Whatever she said here would more than likely make its way back to Cody. When everyone was sitting she started. "The plan had been to hire top notch security and hide."

"That's it?" Marco asked her. "That's not much of a plan."

"The Towers isn't getting breached." Liz told all three guys. "I could have hidden there for years if necessary." Which was true.

"The problem with that is the longer you hide the more desperate someone will be to get a photo of you." Jason knew how tenacious the press could be.

"I was counting on whomever I hired to provide direction after the hiding part. When Felix and I came up with the plan my graphic novels had only been out for a year. I was a starting to become a big deal, but I wasn't what I am now. No one was certain that I wouldn't be more than a flash in the pan." It still amazed her that the alter ego she created was famous all over the world. Her work was printed in fifteen different languages. "Now that you are a part of my life I have the top notch security part covered." She said looking at Jason. "The rest still needs to be worked out. I figured if the news leaked I'll be in the headlines for a few days and then something else of interest will happen. The attention span of the public is relatively short when it comes to celebrity news."

"Short term interest will die down." Marco agreed with that part. "However once you are in the public eye as something other than Jason's wife there will be long term interest. I've been on the fan sites." He considered it research to see what folks were saying. "Most folks are fine, but there are few who've said some things that warranted their accounts being flagged." They would be watched to see if they went from rabid to obsessive. Those that were already obsessed would be watched more closely if the news broke.

"How many people know who you really are?" Rory wanted to know. As Jason's guard he would be kept in the know on this issue.

"Felix, Georgie, Brenda, Jason, and you guys." Liz kept the list short for a reason. "And my parents."

"Steven doesn't know?" Jason found that surprising.

"No, with his addiction issues it was deemed unwise to tell him. He's been doing really well now and I figured I would tell him at some point. I don't like lying to him, but my parents wisely pointed out that I had great potential to become an enabler. They didn't want me constantly bailing him out of trouble because he wasn't going to grow up if I did. My parents and I don't generally agree on how Steven should be treated, but I saw the wisdom in what they said on that topic." Her first instinct was to protect her brother, and when dealing with an addict her cleaning up his messes made it so he didn't have to.

"No one in Felix's office knows?" Marco found that surprising.

"No. Not even his assistant. They all think M.O. Gene is a real person. They only think that I'm Felix's friend through Brenda." Liz trusted Felix to not let anything slip.

"As much as I dislike her I know Brenda won't say anything. She is extremely protective of you." Jason could admit that.

"She helped me come up with the name. Brenda thought it would be funny to play off of my middle name because I hated it growing up." Liz told them how it came about. "I came up with what I finally went with, but that weekend we had a lot of fun thinking up with some truly awful names." She smiled remembering it. "Brenda's husband doesn't even know."

"It's actually smart to hide in plain sight." Marco gave her props for that. "I'll sit with Cody and we'll strategize in case Liz gets exposed." He told his boss. "The longer she goes without someone learning the secret the greater the odds it's going to get out." That was true of any secret.

"Until we come up with a plan we will let this topic go." Jason told Marco. Everyone would stay ready, but at the moment there wasn't anything else to talk about.

"Ready to hike back to the car?" Liz trusted the guys with her life, and she knew that Jason did as well.

"I am." He stood up and extended her hand to help her to her feet. Once everyone was ready, they set off on the second half of the hike.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	38. Chapter 38

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

Not Safe For Work

* * *

Chapter 38

"How was everything while I was gone?" Luke asked putting his bag down on his desk.

"Quiet." Lucky had spent the two days watching the international news trying to get a handle on just where the Quartermaine murder investigation was at. He was hoping that it went away soon.

"Good to know. I'm going to need you to hold down the fort because I'm leaving tomorrow. I need to go pick someone up." Luke already had his contacts in the country working on finding Steven's trail. At the moment the car the former paramedic drove over the border was their biggest lead. He was either still driving it, or had traded it in. Luke could work with both.

"How long are you going to be gone?" Lucky wanted to know. He was hoping to hear a few weeks, minimum. Surely by then what happened over in England would no longer be a headlining news story. At least not in the U.S. Lucky was hoping it was a non-issue in Mexico.

"No clue." Luke watched his son fidget. Lucky was nervous, probably about his screw up coming to light. Luke didn't take it well when they lost out on money because his son was being stupid. He told Lucky time and time again that he didn't need to think on jobs, just follow directions. There were times he wished he had left the kid with Laura, but taking him had been the easiest way to punish her for running to Corinthos for protection.

"Things will be fine here." Lucky didn't really have to do much, they had a full staff. He didn't even had to worry about the backroom game because that had been last week.

"I'm sure they will." Luke said walking out of the back to go get himself a drink. He would hang out here before going to get some sleep and start his packing. He was leaving the country in the morning before the sun was up.

* * *

Logan had arrived in New Mexico yesterday only a few hours after his talk with Francis. The small town that the Spencers lived in didn't offer much to see, but what it did Logan had checked out. He had also gone to the Haunted Star to get a drink and see if he could spot Luke Spencer. Last night was a bust, but tonight was already looking up. The man himself just came from the back. That meant it was show time.

Logan moved from his table to the bar. "Luke Spencer?" Last night in his hotel room the private detective had figured out how to approach his target. After talking to Corelli, Logan had called some friends to get more information on Spencer. They said he was cagey, and smart, so Logan needed to be smarter.

"Who wants to know?" Luke never revealed too much right away.

"Edward Quartermaine." Logan would start there.

"Eddie, you are looking good these days." Luke said with a smirk, but the kid at the bar had his attention now.

"I'm Logan Hayes, I work for Edward Quartermaine. He is looking for family members of his great-grandson." Logan starting reeling Spencer in.

"Is that right?" Luke poured himself another Scotch. "You want another beer?"

"I'm good. I'm on the clock." Logan said with a grin.

"Let's have a chat." Luke pointed to a secluded booth where they wouldn't be interrupted. "Lucky keep an eye out." Once the guy who said Edward sent him left Luke would put out some feelers to see if he was on the level. "Why does Eddie's great-grandson need more relatives?"

"Edward's grandson has custody of the little boy at the moment." Logan would make the initial offer like he was supposed to. Then he would call Edward with the results.

"Morgan. I saw that in the paper." Luke had waited for more information but there appeared to be a media blackout.

"Exactly." Logan sipped his beer. For such a small place, it was a surprisingly good brew. "Edward needs for that to change. He needs someone who can get custody of the little boy."

"I'm not looking to raise any babies." Luke had no interest in going to court to get custody. In fact he already had his own plans for a payday where Carly's kid was concerned. Spending time in front of a judge would only interfere with that.

"Edward isn't looking to have you raise his great-grandson. Just get him from Morgan." Logan cleared up.

"That puts a big target on my back." Luke pointed out.

"The payout will be worth the risk." Logan leaned back in the booth. "I'm sure you can relocate somewhere out of Morgan's reach."

"There is a fly in the ointment, I can't return to Port Chuck." Luke wanted to know just how much research the man sitting across from him had done.

"I know." Logan had no reason to lie. The more honest he was the better he would come across. "But your boy can." He tilted his head towards Lucky. "Edward wants a blood relative, otherwise he could have just paid someone to lie."

"That puts me in a position of power." Luke grinned at that.

"Not really. The Eckerts will work just as well." Logan had run the Spencer tree and shook out several relatives. The Eckerts hadn't ever been approached so they didn't know about Carly, or their connection to the Quartermaines and that was something the folks in Port Charles could deal with if necessary. Logan was thinking it wouldn't be because the two sides of Spencer's family hated each other.

Luke just laughed. "Well played." The kid was smart. "What's my payout?"

"Payment can be discussed once the deal is struck." Logan wasn't going to start talking money just yet. "You can be sure it will be generous."

"Since Eddie will want us gone after he gets his great-grandson, I'm sure it will be." Luke looked over at his son. Lucky had already screwed up once, and since it didn't matter if he messed this up sending him to New York shouldn't be a problem. In fact Morgan would be so focused on Lucky that he hopefully wouldn't see the real threat that was coming. Normally Luke would think this over before giving an answer but he was heading out and things needed to be set in motion now. "Lucky!" He called his son over.

"Does he have a wife? That would be helpful." Logan already knew the answer was no. He just wanted to see what Luke said.

"No, but I know who to call so that by the time he gets to New York that has changed." Luke knew why the private detective was asking. Even though the court gave custody to single parents these days, Lucky would have a better shot if he offered a two parent home like Morgan was. Not that Luke thought Lucky had a snowball's chance in hell of actually winning, unless Eddie had the judge in his back pocket.

Logan just nodded. "Talk to your boy, I need to call New York." He would sit in his car where he had a jammer, and pretend to make a call.

"When you come back we'll finalize our plans." Luke said with a grin. "Sit down." He told Lucky after Logan had left. "You're taking a trip, and this time I want you to follow the directions you are given. No going off script like in England." He said letting his son know he was aware of what he did.

"I can explain that." Lucky said knowing he was busted.

"I don't care about explanations, just results. This time you will get the ones I am after." Luke said leveling a cold stare at his only child.

"Where am I going?" Lucky wasn't going to screw up again.

"You and your wife are going to Port Charles, New York to get custody of a baby." Luke said passing along what he knew. "When my guest returns we'll get more information."

"What's the split?" Lucky wanted to know. He would find out who his partner on the job was later.

"Down the middle." Luke said guessing Lucky wasn't ever going to see a dime. "Since you messed up you can pay your wife from your share. You'll still walk away a wealthy man."

Lucky nodded and silently waited for more information.

* * *

Jason took charge of their dinner reservations for the evening. They had spent the entire day at the house hanging out with their son, and now it was time for them to focus on one another. During the hike back to the car yesterday, Jason had asked his lovely wife how much of the area she had explored and he wasn't surprised by the answer. Despite there being several big cities within two hours of Malibu she hadn't ventured that far. A few smaller cities had been explored. Everything else was waiting to be discovered, which they could do together.

"Is traffic always like this in California?" Jason wanted to know.

Liz tried not to laugh at the cross look on his face. "Yes. Most people drive everywhere causing gridlock. That is one of the reasons I don't leave Malibu once I arrive at the house. A good number of those drivers are tourists, but the rest are residents of the state." She said shrugging. "Always expect the drive to take at least thirty minutes longer than GPS says it will."

He shot her a grin. "I took the drive into account. The restaurant has a bar and I was told if we arrived early we are welcome to sit and wait for our table."

"If we arrive early the hostess my look at us like we are purple with yellow spots. Arriving early is a foreign concept in this state." Liz was always on time when she went somewhere, and always had to wait for Felix or Brenda, who she was meeting. "So where are we going?"

"Santa Monica. We are eating at Chinios. They specialize in Asian Fusion dishes." He had almost booked a table at Nobu, but that seemed like an obvious move.

"You picked one of Wolfgang Puck's restaurants." Liz wasn't sure Jason knew who that was. Her husband didn't consider himself a foodie.

"I wanted to stay away from Italian, we can do that back home." He let her know why he picked the restaurant. He didn't care who owned it. Port Charles only had a few upscale places to eat, but Buffalo and Rochester offered more if they felt like taking a drive.

"I would enjoy anywhere we go as long as we are together." Liz wanted him to know.

"So would I. I am very much enjoying you in that dress." He had once again lost his train of thought when she came down the stairs. The pale pink reminded him of the color her skin took on when she started blushing. He liked that she was also showing more skin since it was just the two of them. The dress was sleeveless, with a V neck and stopped just at her knees. She was wearing high heeled sandals that showed off her painted toes which he liked as well.

"I got it at the same boutique I got my wedding gown. I considered this as a wedding dress but it's too casual for the ceremony we had." Liz explained to him. "I like you in green." She said paying him a compliment. The color was not one she had seen him in before. The dark hue looked amazing against his tan skin. He had skipped the tie for a business casual look.

"Johnny badgered me until I got this shirt. He said I needed more than blue and black in my wardrobe." Jason said with a boyish grin. "I'm glad I relented and got it."

"I like you in your blue and black. In your suits and your jeans. In shorts or in nothing at all." Liz said with a slow and sexy smile. "As far as I am concerned you Mr. Morgan, do not have a bad look." They were in the car alone, the guys were following them, so she could flirt.

"I'm going to drive us off the road if you keep that up." Jason said as his heart rate increased.

"I guess I'll behave then. For now." She tacked on at the end.

Jason laughed as he shook his head, his lovely wife might be more than he could handle. He did, however, look forward to trying. When they got back to the house he was going to put that theory to the test.

* * *

Brian sat at the bar and tried to look relaxed. It wasn't the establishment that had him uptight. He liked hanging out and having a pint after the workday was over. Often with fellow members of the executive staff. So that wasn't why he was tense. He was tense because tonight he was meeting with his contact at Jax's company.

The whole corporate espionage thing was hard on the nerves. When you added in the fact that he was a double agent it pushed you toward ulcer territory. Driving drunk had been stupid, and hitting the car of high ranking mobster had been the cherry on that particular sundae. Now Brian was caught between his boss, and the mob guys. Not a comfortable place to be, but crossing Francis Corelli was a one way ticket to the morgue. Choice made.

Edward was the one who pushed for this meeting and he would not have been so eager if he knew what was really going to be happening. Brian was going to be passing on correct information to whoever Jasper Jacks was sending, but he would be giving false information to his boss. His job in this whole thing was to make sure Edward acted on the misinformation. Which shouldn't be a problem since his boss was blindly hell bent on revenge.

Brian kept his eyes on the large television screen airing the baseball game as a person sat on a barstool next to his.

"What's the score?" The newcomer asked.

"Yankees are up by one." Brian said finally turning to make eye contact with his partner in this caper. Asking about the game was the signal he was looking for, so that he didn't start spilling information to the wrong person. Not that he was going to be saying anything important at this first meeting.

Rafe got his beer and when the bartender moved off he picked up the conversation. They had decided on this day of the week for this meeting because the bar would be fairly empty. "They are due for a win." The only thing they would discuss at this meeting was the game on the television. In the mirror that backed the bar he could see the entire room and now was a good time for the drop. Reaching over he grabbed the bowl of complimentary nuts and as he placed it down he slipped the small envelope that was under his watch band beneath the bowl. "Nuts?"

"Thanks." Brian saw what took place, but because of where the other man's arm was no one else would have seen the drop. Now the dilemma was how to get the item. His contact helped him with that. Clearly the guy did something like this before.

Rafe reached over for nuts and knocked the bowl over spilling the contents everywhere. "Shoot."

Quickly Brian used his napkin to cover the parcel and making it look like he was helping with the cleanup swept it into his palm after which he shoved it into his pocket. Just like that he had what he needed to sell Edward Quartermaine out.

"Sorry about that." Rafe told the bartender who said not to worry about it. They sat in silence for another five innings before he left. "This game is boring. You have a good night."

"Thanks." Brian said watching as the other man put a twenty on the bar to cover his drinks, and presumably the spilled nuts. He waited another hour before heading out to his car. Inside he opened the envelope and found a note with a key. Starting his vehicle he headed to the train station to see what awaited him there.

* * *

They dined well and laughed throughout the meal. He noted that when it was just him and his girl he laughed a lot, it was a good feeling. At the end of the meal they opted to take dessert to go. They requested the server pack up several of the samplers so they could share with the group tomorrow.

They were holding hands when they headed down to the nursery to check on Michael. Since Nadine had the second receiver to the monitor they were as quiet as possible. The baby was sleeping deeply so they gave him some kisses and went to their own room.

Standing by the bed they undressed one another before stretching out on the mattress. Their hands explored as their mouths came together. They didn't rush but slowly took the climb to the pinnacle of pleasure. As he pushed inside her waiting body Jason turned his face into the space between her neck and shoulder letting her light vanilla scent surround him.

Elizabeth locked her ankles at the small of Jason's back and let her hips follow the rhythm that he was setting. They were touching from head to toe and being surrounded by him gave her such a feeling of joy. She simply opened her heart fully and let it move through her. When she peaked it stole her breath and the feeling of him swelling deep inside her body made her soar higher.

"That was wonderful." Liz said as they lay close together after loving one another.

"It gets better every single time." He said as he held up his hand and she linked their fingers. He placed a gentle kiss on her forehead as he urged her closer.

"That it does." She said smiling up at him.

"When we go home I'm going to make sure we stay connected. Things are going to get hectic, but I won't jeopardize this by letting my life be taken over by work." He promised her. There were a lot of plans waiting to be put into motion when he got home. The guys were laying the groundwork now. No matter what was happening, their family needed to come first.

"I'm not going anywhere." Liz promised him. She knew that they had things to deal with back in Port Charles and she was ready. She also recognized that she could get absorbed in her work, so balance was going to be needed there. It helped that Jason didn't feel the least bit threatened by her success. "We'll get through what is waiting back home as a unit."

"A unit. I like the sound of that." Jason smiled before leaning down and kissing her. "Get some sleep baby." Tomorrow was their last full day in California and he wanted them rested so they could enjoy it.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	39. Chapter 39

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 39

They waited until the bar closed to sit down and hammer out the details. In the meantime Logan sat in the back booth and observed the establishment. Spencer had a lot of regulars which wasn't surprising as he was one of the only drinking establishments at this end of the town. The man brought in just enough business to keep the bar afloat so Logan wondered how he hid the other money he had coming in.

After the last patron left and the final staff member finished up their duties father and son joined their guest again. "So what do you have for us?" Luke wanted to know

"Edward is prepared to pay you twenty million." Logan would start at the bottom end of what he was authorized to offer, he expected Luke to come back with a counter offer.

"I think he can do better than that." Luke said before sipping his Scotch. Actually that offer was fine but it would look odd if he just accepted the first thing on the table. "I'm not sending my boy to Port Charles for less than thirty million. Considering we are the ones taking the public risk I think that is only fair." Morgan wasn't going to kill his grandfather, but the same couldn't be said for them.

"Who is going with Lucky?" Logan hoped that wasn't his real name. That was a name you gave to the family dog.

"Money first and then you get more information." Luke said with a grin.

"Done." Logan had been authorized to go up to fifty million, which made the private detective wonder if Edward was actually planning to payout when the job was done. Of course that amount was pocket change to the older man, especially when you factored in Michael's inheritance which Edward would gain control over.

"See Lucky, when you ask for things you get them." Luke told his son.

"Partner?" Logan said getting them back on track.

"Siobhan McKenna." Luke called, and talked to her while the bar was open. "She is coming here first to be briefed. She and Lucky can head up to Port Charles when Edward needs them."

"I'll be waiting when they arrive." Logan passed along. "Edward does not want there to be any direct contact between him and Lucky. So everything goes through me. I'll find out the status of Morgan's paperwork once I get there, that will determine the arrival date. We don't want to alert him to the fact that he has competition too early in the game, otherwise your son won't even make it to New York."

"Makes sense." Luke looked over at his boy. "Make sure you follow whatever instructions he gives you."

"I'm not going to mess up again." Lucky was going to take his share of the money when the job was done and leave. It was time for him to get out from under his dad. If Siobhan was interested they could form a partnership, if not he would strike off and be his own boss.

Logan looked between the two men across the table. He wondered what that was all about. When he had more time he would be digging further into Lucky's background, as well as Ms. McKenna's. No doubt the mob guys would be doing the same, Logan just liked having his own information. "When are you leaving?" He asked Luke. That information would also be passed to Francis, just in case it was useful. They might want to track the older Spencer.

"As soon as this meeting is over." Luke had packed, and slept a bit, after making his calls. His contacts said Logan was on the up and up so that was one less worry Luke had. "Siobhan will be here later today. She's flying in on her dime but once she arrives I told her Edward would be covering her travel and hotel expenses."

"Absolutely." Logan said with a big grin. "Mr. Quartermaine has already authorized me to pay for plane tickets as well as a nice room for your son and his partner." Which was a lie. The mob guys were covering everything and that hotel room was going to be wired for sound. Lucky and his "bride" were also going to be shadowed from the second they hit town. Logan was looking forward to having a front row seat to all the action.

"Anything else we need to know?" Luke asked ready to head out.

"I think everything from this point forth can be discussed between Lucky, Siobhan, and myself." Logan told Luke. "He's going to be doing the heavy lifting. Unless there is something I need to know. Edward is putting out a lot of money to have things go the way he wants." Logan was already getting that Lucky was the weak link in this chain, so the sooner they got rid of Luke the better. Since the older Spencer couldn't come to Port Charles they didn't even need to worry about him showing up and throwing a monkey wrench in the works.

"I think you're right." Luke could care less about what his son was going to be doing. Namely because what he was about to set up was going to be the real breadwinner. "To well laid plans and the success they bring." He said holding up his glass in a toast before draining the amber liquid.

"Give the instructions for the bar to Josh." Luke told his son. That was the bar's manager. He could do whatever needed doing. "If I get back first I'll wait for you here." Which was a lie because Luke wasn't coming back.

"I'll do the same." Lucky said not meaning a word he said.

"Gentleman." Luke nodded and grabbed his gear before walking out the bar.

"Now what?" Lucky wanted to know.

"I leave, and you wait for instructions." Logan also stood up. "When I call I'll expect you in Port Charles within twenty-four hours."

"I'll be ready." Lucky was going to make this work. He wouldn't get a better shot at freedom than this.

* * *

"Mr. Quartermaine, do you have a moment?" Brian knocked on the office door of his boss. It was early so now was a good time for this unplanned meeting.

"Come in." Edward was reviewing overnight stock prices. He was trying to decide if ELQ should go public. This was an issue he had wrestled with for past couple of years. On the one hand keeping the stock in the family gave him total control of the company. He'd always held the lion's share of the stock, which meant no one in the family could veto him even if they worked together. However, if he went public he could make a mint. The quandary was not going to be solved today so he put it out of his mind. "What do you have?"

"I've managed to find a person at the end of the paper trail for one of the companies that holds shares in your grandson's company." Brian said trying not to fidget.

Last night after leaving the bar he had driven to the train station and parked. It took him almost an hour to get out of the car and when he did he was wearing a baseball cap pulled low on his face. None of the cameras in the building were going to get a clear shot of his face.

Tracking down the locker took a few minutes and when he opened it there was a laptop bag, a small one, inside. He didn't hesitate to take it and head back to his waiting vehicle. From the train station he went right home, where it took another thirty minutes for him to work up the nerve to open the bag. Inside was one of those small laptop that were all the rage. He opened it, turned it on, and read the instructions on the screen.

The first part of the instructions instantly relaxed him. There would be no more meetings in bars or anywhere else. All contact from this point forward would be done through this computer. Any information that he received could be scanned into the system and shot to the email address in his contacts. The information he would be passing along would come in the same way. In fact there was already something waiting for him to print out and take in.

Looked like Jason Morgan wasn't wasting any time.

"Really who did you find?" Edward asked while holding out his hand for the file.

"A man named David Gray." Brian had no idea who that was, nor did he care.

"Never heard of him." Edward said frowning. "He must be a friend of AJ's." The older man said scanning the papers. This Gray person didn't have any personal information in the file, but his accountants were in London.

"Do you want me to contact him?" Brian inquired trying to get the ball rolling.

"Not just yet. I'm going to have my private investigator do some poking around first." Edward would be happy when Logan was in the city. They could have meetings. Edward was confident that no one would clue into the working relationship. "Once I have more information then I'll map out a plan for contacting him. What about the other companies?" There were three more to look into.

"Still digging." Brian said just wanting to flee the office.

"Keep at it." Edward said somewhat absentmindedly. He was looking through the papers. "You can go now." He said dismissing the younger man.

Without a word Brian did just that, popping an antacid as we walked out. This whole situation could not end soon enough.

* * *

Jasper Jacks sat behind the desk on his new office in Port Charles. Once he decided to stay it hadn't taken long to find the space or get his executive staff to move from Melbourne. Now the entire Jacks corporate empire, which mainly consisted of publishing ventures and regional businesses up to this point, was being run from this small harbor town. The only thing he had left to do was to convince his beautiful, smart, and stubborn girlfriend to move as well.

He was going to use the thought of getting to hang out more with Elizabeth Webber as a bribe. The two women were friends because of Carly. Of course there needed to be something for his girlfriend to do once she got here. Sitting around wasn't her style. Nor would she want a job working for him, she always said that was too close for comfort. He was hoping that they figured this out because he didn't want to lose her and he was discovering that he really did like this small town.

His phone buzzed and Jax couldn't help but grin. Last night Rafe had called to say the drop had been accomplished and Brian Beck had already accessed one file. According to this encrypted message on his smartphone Jax could see that Edward was starting to dig into David Gray.

Perfect.

It was going to take a few days, but the older man would soon have all the information needed to make him confident enough to approach David. Which would lead to the next part of their plan. The part that preyed on Edward's two biggest flaws, arrogance and greed.

Brian had been most helpful in letting Jacks know just how to bring Edward down. This plan needed only needed a little prep, but in the end it should be a pretty simple matter to come out the victor. The best part would be that he was going to have a front row seat to the entire thing.

With a satisfied grin Jax looked at the clock. He had an early meeting and then it was off to lunch at the club. The day wasn't complete unless he got to see Edward scowl.

* * *

"So where did you send everyone?" Jason wanted to know. They had started their day with a walk on the beach, with Michael in the baby carrier. He had enjoyed looking at her legs which were on display in a pair of black shorts, he liked that her black and pink floral top was showing some skin as well. When they got back to the house everyone else was gone. Not that he minded the alone time with his family, he just wasn't aware that the gang was heading out.

"Universal Studios Theme Park is about two hours from here." Liz said with a grin. "I got the crew day passes and sent them on their way. They left right after we walked out the door to go to the beach. The only person I couldn't get rid of was Marco. He's in the guesthouse."

Jason knew the guard wouldn't come over unless they called. He also wasn't surprised that one of the guys hung back. He was more than capable of keeping his family safe, but the guys took their responsibilities seriously. Which meant Liz had talked Lee, Rory, and Milo into going. "So it's just you, me, and the kid?" He asked grinning. Looking over he saw Michael looked very content in his swing.

"Yup." Liz was looking forward to time with her guys.

Jason looked over at the clock. It was just past ten because they had been walking hand in hand for a couple of hours while Michael napped after breakfast. "What should we do with our day?"

"Michael needs some tummy time and after that it will be time for him to have a morning nap which means you and I will be unsupervised. Imagine the mischief we can get up to." Liz said with a sexy smile.

"Elizabeth Morgan, I'll have you know that I'm not that easy." Jason said pretending to the outraged.

"Yes, you are. We already established that." Liz said walking slowly over to where he was standing, putting some extra sway in her hips. "I like you in this shade of blue." He was in dark gray shorts and a light blue t-shirt. "It sets off your eyes nicely."

Looking into her deep blue eyes he could feel his body stirring. "Playtime for the kid first, and then for us." He let her know.

"Let me go grab a blanket." Liz told him.

"We should go outside." Jason wasn't sure how much outside Michael would get once they got home. When their house was constructed there would be a back yard for the little boy to play in. At the Towers the only outside space that was safe from prying eyes was the terrace. Jason pulled out his phone.

"Everything okay? If you need to handle something we'll be alright." Liz hadn't seen Jason make any calls since they arrived.

"I'm going to call Trent." Jason told his wife. "I want to have the downstairs terrace covered. That way Nadine can take Michael out to get fresh air. Once Edward loses his custody bid I don't trust that he won't try a snatch."

"You think he would go that far?" Elizabeth asked shocked.

"Edward doesn't like to lose. I'm sure he has a backup plan already devised, I'm hoping that what I'm setting in motion will stop him in his tracks on all fronts." Jason was going to get an update on how everything was going when he returned to work on Monday. "I won't hurt him, I wouldn't do that to Lila. But I will make sure he doesn't come after us again."

"They are a bit of an odd pairing." Liz said out loud what she had always thought. "They do say opposites attract though."

"People can look at us and think the same thing. I don't have the greatest reputation." Jason knew what people thought about him, and the truth was a good portion of it was correct. He had at one point been a hit man, and now he was the one who gave the order to remove enemies.

"I'm no angel either Jason." Liz wasn't going to let him put himself down. "I think Grandmother actually is though." She said smiling. "I'm willing to bet she has wings and a halo in her closet."

"I'm not going to argue about that because I think that's true about Grandmother too." Jason loved that Elizabeth always defended him. "I can admit that you are too good for me. Not that I'm walking away. I love you too much for that, but with the things I've done I'm sure people would say I don't deserve the happy ending."

"I think you deserve it, and my opinion counts more than anyone else." She finished softly before leaning up and kissing him. "Now that I have you I am not giving you back. Covering the terrace is a good idea. It will also prevent fly overs."

"The Towers is in a no fly zone." Jason said grinning. It had been worth every penny to get that designation.

"Good to know. Make your call, I'll get the blanket set up." Liz said walking out to the yard to find a shady spot to spread out the fabric.

* * *

"Trent is going to have the awning installed today." Jason said as he handed Michael to Elizabeth and sat down. "He said that when you got home if you didn't like it to give him a call."

"I'm sure whatever he picks will be fine." Liz said rubbing Michael's back. She didn't want him worried that he was out here alone.

"I also took a minute to call Skye because she left me a message. We are invited to her home for brunch on Sunday. Monica and Alan will be there, as will Emily and Matt." Jason's knee jerk reaction was to say no, but he knew that Alan and Monica had never been in Skye's home before so this was a big deal.

"What did you say?" Elizabeth wanted to know.

"I told her we would come, because now that you're my wife you get to suffer with me." He said with a wide smile.

"I guess this is the worst part mentioned in the vows." Liz would probably spend most of the afternoon chatting with Emily and Skye. "Are we taking Michael?"

"No." Jason grinned watching as Elizabeth got on her stomach too. She was lying eye to eye with the son which cause the baby to make a gurgling sound followed by a high pitched squeal that was clearly a sound of happiness. "I want to talk with them before I allow them around Michael. I am hoping that they are going to apologize to you during our visit."

"I don't need them to." Liz looked over at him before smiling back at Michael.

"I need them to." Jason was not going to let them disrespect his wife. "Next week I'm having a business dinner with Jax, I'd like you to come."

"I thought he would be back in New York by now. Before she left for London the last time Carly said he was probably going to be moving his executive offices there. Will his girlfriend be at dinner? I don't want to be a third wheel." Liz hadn't realized that Jason and Jasper were working together. Whatever they were teaming up to do would no doubt be successful.

"I can check. Even if she's not there I'm sure he would like to see you." Jason knew she hadn't talked much to the Australian at the service. "Can I ask you for something?"

"You my love may ask me for anything." Liz told him, she was still on her stomach smiling at the baby.

"There is a black and white dress in the closet upstairs. Will you bring that back to Port Charles and wear that out to dinner?" Jason didn't have a desire to dress his wife, but he wanted to see her in that outfit.

"I can do that. In fact when I pack tonight let me know if there is anything else you'd like me to take home." Liz would happily wear anything he picked out. In fact she could take the entire closet with them when they left because luggage weight wasn't an issue.

"I'd ask if there was anything I need to take back with me, but you would have mentioned that when I was packing for the trip." Jason said grinning.

"That is true." Liz rolled to her knees before standing up. She also didn't have to make that request because he had a lot of the same items back home. "I'm going to get us all something to drink."

"Okay." Jason said taking her spot on the blanket and stretching out on his stomach to have some face time with Michael.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	40. Chapter 40

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 40

"What time should I come up tomorrow?" Nadine wanted to know as they waited for the elevators that would take them to their apartments. The group had landed at Jason's private airstrip not even an hour ago. California had been nice, but she was happy to be home. Mainly because she wanted to see Renaldo. It was surprising how much she had missed him. It made her smile each time they talked because she had made good on her request to call.

"Ten forty-five." Liz replied as the first group got on the elevator. "I'm not sure how long we will be gone. Working on Sundays should not be normal, the main exception will be when we are away from home."

"It's not a problem." Nadine let Liz know. A lot of her school mates worked seven days a week.

"Monday I will need you to watch Michael while Georgie and I move the office and studio up to the penthouse level. I'll be setting up nursery space up there and once everything is arranged that is where you will spend most days. If I'm not working, but away from home, then you'll watch Michael in the penthouse." Liz and Jason had discussed all this while in California.

"I can move to a smaller apartment on a different floor if you need me to, now that you are upstairs. My current place is huge for one person." Nadine let them know.

"You have to stay on that floor because you are Michael's nanny." Jason said speaking up for the first time. "Your unit needs to be secure." The nanny's apartment became a fall back place if the penthouse was unsafe for some reason.

"If you are uncomfortable with all that space, there may be a smaller unit on your floor opening up soon. If so I can let you know." Liz got that sometimes a lot of space made a person feel lonely. She was pretty sure Georgie and Milo were going to be moving into her former unit, and their place was a two bedroom, with one and a half baths.

"I'm interested." Nadine let her boss know. "This is me. I should be home for the rest of the day if you need me." She waved before stepping off the elevator along with Lee and Marco. Everyone else would catch the next elevator.

"We are staying in, so enjoy your night off." Liz told their nanny and looked over at Jason silently letting him know he could release the door open button.

"I'm looking forward to it being just us tonight." Liz said kissing the top of Michael's head. He was once again in the carrier strapped to Jason's chest.

"Me too." Jason said nodding to the guards as they walked into their home.

* * *

Nadine kicked off her shoes and walked into her bedroom to start unpacking. Flying in a private jet was a lot less stressful than a commercial flight. Generally spending five hours in a plane left her cramped and tired. After the flight from London all she had wanted to do was nap. That wasn't the case now. With the rest of the day off, it wasn't even lunch time yet, she might go out and walk around. Or not since she might have to call Lee, and he might not want to go out. She needed to have how that worked cleared up.

She was putting away her clothes, everything had been washed before they left, when her house phone rang. Nadine thought maybe Liz and Jason had changed their minds about needing her. It was a nice day and they could take advantage of that by having lunch out. "Hello?"

"Hi." Renaldo smiled when she answered. "Welcome home."

"Thanks." Nadine sat on the side of the bed and tried not to blush. "How are you?"

"Good. I'm off today and I was wondering if you'd like to do something?" He had missed seeing her this week and some time together would be nice.

"How do you know I'm not working?" Nadine wanted to know.

"Jason sent out a text message that said he would be home for the rest of the day if we needed him we could call." Renaldo passed along. "So that means you are off, and I am not one to waste an opportunity."

"What if someone calls?" Nadine would take this chance to learn how things worked within the organization.

"No one will call." Renaldo told her. A war had to break out for Jason to be disturbed on his day off. There wasn't anything that would crop up that Francis and OB couldn't handle. Jason was going to stay briefed but they were going to be doing their best to handle anything related to the illegal side of the business while their boss was being watched by CPS. Until the adoption was finalized Jason would be as close to a legitimate business man as he had ever been.

"In that case I'd love to go out and see more of my new home." Nadine wasn't going to miss the chance to have a sexy tour guide.

"I can be there in five minutes." Renaldo let her know.

"Make it ten, I'm in my uniform." Nadine wanted to change into a nicer shirt and sneakers. Her hair was braided and it would stay that way, she would also put on some gloss to give her lips some color and then she would be ready for her day out.

* * *

"I think someone needs a new diaper and then its naptime." Liz said picking Michael up from the floor as she smiled at her son. When they got home everyone put on some jammies to get comfortable. Liz was in her favorite Snoopy pajamas and Jason was in gray lounging pants with a dark blue top. She had put Michael in a gray sleeper to match his dad.

"I can do that." Jason said getting up. She had changed him the last time. He was doing his best to evenly split taking care of the baby.

"I don't mind." Liz told him heading for the stairs as the phone rang.

"It's Brenda." Jason said walking over to where his family was standing. He took Michael from his mother's arms. "I'll change him. Whatever is in this diaper will be easier to deal with." He said before heading up the stairs.

Liz walked over to the phone, took a deep breath, and picked up the receiver. "Hi Brenda."

"Don't you hi Brenda me!" The supermodel said preparing to throw a world class snit. "You got married. First Carly dies and you don't call, and now you get married without a word. I knew Jason would be a bad influence on you. He's trying to come between us."

"Brenda." Liz took another breath. "He isn't trying to come between us. I didn't call you because you were working and then heading off to your honeymoon. Also I didn't want a lot of press at my wedding." Where Brenda went cameras always followed.

"You didn't even mention the wedding when I was in town." Brenda pointed out.

"Is there anything else about the happiest day of my life you would like to make about you?" Liz asked with venom in her voice. "Maybe my choice of gown, or the fact that I didn't wear whatever haircare line you are the spokesperson for this year? Anything at all? Or maybe you could stop being a selfish bitch for like thirty seconds and wish me congratulations on my marriage and the fact that I now have a son." Putting Brenda in her place was not something Liz had any trouble with.

There was silence on the other end of the line. "You really love him huh?" Brenda replied. Liz hadn't lit into her like this since she decided to move to New York and Brenda stuck her nose into the situation.

"That didn't sound like congratulations." Liz said shaking her head.

"We can be there in a couple of hours, and take you guys out to dinner to celebrate." Brenda said as a mea culpa.

The last thing Liz needed was her friend, plus entourage, descending on the city while CPS was watching. Officially they weren't supposed to be back until Monday and Liz didn't want to tip off that they were home. The agency could start keeping tabs when the week began. So in a way it was good that Brenda called and irritated her instead of just showing up yelling. "Why don't we just wait until you come here for work? Right now Jason and I are trying to get Michael settled, plus we need to talk about houses."

"You are moving out of that high rise? Good. You need something bigger." Brenda said once again giving an unsolicited opinion. "Do they have mansions out in the boonies?"

Liz was about to speak when she stopped and thought about what Brenda said a moment ago. She offered to come visit while on her honeymoon. All kinds of red flags were going up. Brenda had a habit of going through men quickly so the fact that she got married was surprising, and Liz was thinking her friend was possibly regretting her choice. Brenda had a habit of wanting to fix everyone else's lives when hers was going to pot. It was now even more important to keep her out of Port Charles.

"I don't need a mansion." Liz answered once again shaking her head. Normally she would ask if everything was okay, but right now she couldn't put anything else on her plate. Jason and Michael needed to be her focus.

"Are you sure you don't want me to come visit?" Brenda was not enjoying her honeymoon.

"Not right now, and Bren if you show up anyway I will make sure you don't get the Deception contract." Liz knew that would keep her friend out of the city. This was a campaign all the top names were hoping to land.

"Ouch. Harsh. Marriage has brought out your bitchy side." Brenda told her friend. "It's a good look for you." The supermodel said laughing.

"I have to go." Liz needed to end this call before Brenda really got going. Even though the conversation had started about the new marriage in no time at all it would be all about Brenda's latest drama. "I need to get a bottle ready."

"You don't have a nanny? Is Jason expecting that you are going to stop working?" Brenda asked getting upset again.

"Bye Brenda." Liz said before hanging up. It was rude, but the conversation had to end. In fact a lot of their conversations ended that way. She prepped the bottle and took some time to calm down.

"Hey." Jason walked in with Michael in his arms. "How did the talk go?"

"Let's not go there." Liz said shaking her head. "Can you pull strings to make sure Brenda cannot fly into Port Charles?"

"If you need me to." Jason answered rubbing his son's back. "Is she descending on us?"

"No." Liz shook her head as she handed over the bottle. "I told her if she showed up I would keep her from working for Deception. She will not risk that. I just want to be on the safe side. I don't want her ending up giving an interview to CPS."

Jason shifted the baby so he could eat. "Skye is going to sign Brenda, so she'll have plenty of chances to visit. I'll tell my sister to not send the contract until the adoption is final."

"Be ready for drama when she arrives. I think her marriage is going to implode." Liz would keep Brenda away from Jason.

"Already?" Jason asked surprised.

"Yeah." Liz would give him a crash course on Brenda's love life later. "He's eating faster."

"I noticed that too. According to the baby books that could indicate a growth spurt is coming, so we need to keep an eye out because he might need to eat more often." Jason put Michael on his shoulder to be burped.

"I can check in with Nadine tomorrow." Liz recalled reading something similar. "Let's go upstairs and I'll read Michael a book before naptime."

* * *

"Where would you like to start our day out?" Renaldo asked the pretty woman standing next to him.

"With some information." Nadine said as they walked out of the Towers. "Is there any place in Port Charles that I should avoid?"

"Lee will keep you out of trouble." Renaldo let her know. "But the docks is somewhere that you don't want to wander around."

"That answers my next question." Nadine was also smiling. She had been smiling since he showed up at her door. The man looked amazing in denim and the t shirt was showing off the fact that he had some serious biceps.

"Which was?" Renaldo wanted to know.

"If I needed to take Lee everywhere." Nadine was trying to keep the butterflies in her stomach under control.

"Yes, you do. Unless you are with me." Renaldo hoped that last thing happened a lot. "Then you only have to bring him if you feel you need backup." Renaldo wanted her to know that she was welcome to bring Lee. It was important that she felt safe.

"I don't need a chaperone." Nadine said smiling wider. "If I can herd cattle I think I can handle time out with you."

"You can herd cattle?" Renaldo couldn't even ride a horse.

"I grew up on a farm." Nadine was guessing he hadn't read her background report. "I can do all kinds of things. We'll have to go to the range so I can impress you with my marksmen skills."

"We will." Renaldo liked knowing that she could handle herself. "Today what can I show you?"

The first thing that came to mind was to ask him to show her places she could take Michael, but Lee could do that. Today she wanted it to be about them. "Where is your favorite place in Port Charles?"

"Vista Pointe." Renaldo didn't even have to think about. "I'd be happy to show it to you." He was flirting.

"I'd like to see it." Nadine said flirting back. She was looking forward to having a great day out.

* * *

"He's so cute." Liz was smiling as they walked out of the nursery.

"He is." Jason nodded his agreement.

Liz looked over at her husband. "Want to share?" He sounded off.

"I miss AJ." Jason told his wife. "Being with Michael is wonderful, but it makes me think of the fact that my brother is no longer here. I know grief is a process, I learned that with other people in my life that have died. I'm working my way through it, at times it just really hits me hard that AJ will never be here again."

She just held his hand and let him talk.

"I'm thinking of changing Michael's middle name to Alan, to honor my brother. What do you think?" Jason asked Elizabeth.

"I think that would be wonderful. We can do that when we change Michael's last name to Morgan." Liz knew from conversations prior to her move to London that Carly wanted Alan as a middle name for a future son but AJ said it was egotistical.

"Let's go downstairs and snuggle on the couch." Liz just wanted to take care of him. When the moments of her missing Carly hit Liz knew that he would be there offering her a shoulder to lean on.

"Can we work on the house?" Jason wanted to get that started. "Once we have it nailed down I can call up the architect my construction company foreman recommended."

"I'll grab a sketch pad and meet you downstairs." Liz had brought some up last week when she officially moved in. She liked to keep them handy in case inspiration for her graphic novel struck.

"I'll get us some drinks." Jason gave her a kiss before heading to the kitchen.

* * *

"What style of house do you want?" Liz was sitting next to Jason on the couch under a blanket. She wasn't sure if he knew what the different style of homes were.

"I like the house at the bottom of Marsh Rd." Jason had no idea what style that was. "Do you know which one I'm talking about?"

"The gray and black house." Liz said as he nodded. "It's a Queen Anne which is part of the Victorian category of houses. Gothic Revival is another."

"Like the Quartermaine mansion." Jason knew that because of Lila.

"Yup." Liz said turning to a clean page. "What about the Queen Anne do you like?"

"Before we go further what do you like?" Jason didn't want a house just about him.

"I tend to prefer Farmhouse homes, but the two styles can be blended easily, so we are off to a good start. I don't want a light gray house though. Dark gray is fine, maybe with a healthy amount of white to offset the darker shade. That will bring light to the house." She said thinking out loud. "So back to my question?"

Jason needed to think for a minute. "I like the porches, but I don't like that they are in the front of the house."

She wasn't surprised by that, he would feel like it was leaving them vulnerable. Her pencil moved over the page. Jason wouldn't be able to see the image, so she would describe it to him when they were done. "What do you think about the rounded windows? I have no idea what the proper term is."

"The architect will know." Jason watched as black lines from the pencil filled the page. It amazed him how fast she was making the sketch.

"Would you mind if we have a stone front on the house. It's not typical to Queen Anne houses, but it's often an element of Farmhouse style homes?" Elizabeth was trying to find ways to implement both their tastes into the one home.

"Stone is good. It adds fortification. What?" He asked at her grin.

"Nothing." Liz said chuckling. That was very much a Jason thought.

"I'm not going to sketch the interior just yet. We can figure out the layout with the architect." Liz said shading in portions of the image. "He or she will know where load bearing walls and such need to be."

"We will need a large garage." Jason wasn't sure what she was putting in the sketch.

"Okay. I'll make some notes." Liz said moving to an empty space on the paper. "How many bays?"

"Four." Jason did the count in his head. That would give them room for their cars and his bike. He watched her write that down. "Do you want any guest houses?"

"No, anyone who comes to visit can stay at the Port Charles Hotel since Grandmother owns it." Liz wanted their home to be a sanctuary. "I want office and studio space for us both. I'm thinking once the house is built I'll just work from there."

"What about Georgie?" Jason wouldn't mind having her in the house on a daily basis.

"I have an idea on that." Liz needed to give it more thought. Jason nodded his understanding that she wasn't ready to share. "Okay, I'm all done." She took him through the image using her finger to point out the different parts of the sketch. "What do think?"

"It's our home." Jason knew that the odds were good something would change as the process moved forward, but it was a good start. "I'm hoping we can move in this time next year." If they got things started soon, and the weather cooperated they might be able to get the outer frame of the house up before the worst part of the winter. That would mean over the colder months the interior could be put in place, and any remaining exterior work could be finished next spring.

"It is." Liz smiled up at him.

"We should celebrate." Jason said taking the sketch pad and pencil. He placed them on the table before bringing his mouth to hers. "I like your shorts." He told her as he ran his hand up her leg. "I like you out of them better."

Liz brought his mouth to hers for another kiss. "That can certainly be arranged."

They would go upstairs eventually, but for now this was perfect.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	41. Chapter 41

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

Not Safe For Work

* * *

Chapter 41

"Mmm." Liz arched into the hands that were currently roaming over her body. She hadn't yet opened her eyes, instead she was letting her skin's touch receptors have control.

Jason's hands on her was one of the best feelings in the world. They were always warm, which in turn warmed her. He had callouses on his palms and some fingers which made her shiver. His hands were also big, covering a lot of surface area with each sweep. The best thing was that the man always seemed to know just how to touch her, giving her to perfect amount of stimulation.

"Good morning." Jason kept his voice low as he spoke against the shell of her ear. He was spooned up behind her, which was his new favorite way to sleep. They fit together like two pieces of a puzzle. The fact that they were both naked, meant all their skin was touching. His hand swept down her body and she trembled in pleasure. Elizabeth had skin that felt like silk against his palm.

"Yes, it is." Liz said as she started to smile. They had an enjoyable time on the couch after talking about the house, then they had come up to the bedroom and kept the good times going. Now it looked like they were starting the day loving one another, and she wasn't going to complain. He was already hard beneath her bottom, and she couldn't help but push back against him. "Ohhh." She shivered harder when he rubbed his morning stubble over the nape of her neck.

Jason chuckled at how responsive his wife was, before hissing as she pushed her firm butt against his hard cock. He moved his lips to her shoulder and she gave another of those low moans. He was seriously giving consideration to never shaving again. The noises his girl made were sexy. "I've been waiting for you to wake up and I got impatient. I should be rewarded for my restraint."

"I'm glad you woke me up." Elizabeth said a bit breathlessly. "I don't like the thought of your suffering."

"I was practically neglected." Jason said letting his lips move up her neck. "You need to make it up to me."

"What did you have in mind?" Liz asked like she didn't know. His hand stroked down her leg and when he reached her knee he urged her to open herself to him. His fingers moved over the soft skin of her inner thigh and Liz started to pant in anticipation. When his fingers stroked over her core her hips began to move with them. "Oh my god, touch me harder."

"I think you should let me have you." He told her in answer to her question. "Do you want me to touch you like this?" Jason asked only increasing the pressure slightly. He very much enjoyed playing with her.

She reached back until her fingers tightened in his hair. "Stop teasing me." It looked like he wasn't the only one feeling impatient this morning. She was feeling greedy and he was the only thing that would satisfy this need.

His fingers were coated with the honey that flowed from her center so he knew she was ready to take him. There would not be a lot of foreplay this morning. Jason lined them up and slowly pushed deep. He didn't stop tunneling forward until he couldn't go any further. It amazed him how perfectly they fit together. Just as slowly as he filled her up he pulled back until just the tip of his shaft was at the opening of her body and then moved forward again. He rested his forehead against her shoulder as he panted.

"It's so good." Liz moaned as Jason moved inside her. He was hitting all her internal pleasure points and she was quickly heading toward an explosion. They were skin to skin this morning and this felt better than anything had a right to. His hips pumped forward and she pushed back while squeezing her inner muscles which made him moan. The vibration moved from his chest to hers adding another layer of sensation. When his hand came up and covered one breast massaging the firm flesh she gave a small scream it was so good.

He wasn't going to be able to hold out much longer. She felt too good holding him tight, and when she flexed her inner muscles it pushed him closer to the edge. Reciting Harley parts wasn't working any longer. His hips were picking up speed despite the fact that he had intended this to be a morning of slow love making. His sexy wife just made him primal. "Come for me." He said moving his hand to stroke over her center.

"Ja-a-son." Liz said as she simple gave herself over to the pleasure.

"Elizabeth." He said on a soft whisper as his arms tightened around her holding her close while he also came. He was still holding her as his body cooled. It amazed him that cuddling was something he liked. Marriage was showing him new sides of himself, it just seemed wrong for them to be far apart right now.

Liz was a cuddler, but she never had a boyfriend who was. It didn't have to be after sex. She just enjoyed being close with the person she gave her heart too. She enjoyed that added level of intimacy. Honestly she wouldn't have pegged Jason as someone who would like snuggling, but she was being proven wrong.

"Feel good?" Jason was back to letting his hand move over her skin.

"Don't sell yourself short." She said smiling. "It was amazing. You are really good at that."

"I have a good partner." Jason was smiling too. "There's still room for improvement. We should work on that."

"At every available opportunity." Liz was enjoying their conversation.

Jason kissed her temple. "Now I need to get Michael's breakfast ready." Elizabeth had done the last bottle of the night. "After that how about if I bring you up some coffee or hot chocolate and some fruit to snack on." Brunch was later in the morning and he didn't want her getting hungry.

"Okay." Liz would let him spoil her some. It made her heart flutter that he wanted to care for her. "Take care of Michael first and that will give me time to shower."

"Your shoulder is pink." He said frowning.

"Beard burn." Liz said rolling over and kissing him. "It will fade by the time my shower is over. I like the way that felt though."

"I will remember that." He said in a husky whisper before kissing her. While he did love taking her from behind it didn't give him the chance to kiss on her. "Let me go take care of the munchkin." He said before rolling from bed and heading to the bathroom to clean up some first.

Liz stretched out and smiled. Her day was off to a great start.

* * *

"You aren't calling to cancel are you?" Skye was standing in her kitchen trying not to fuss over the dishes that were being served. She wasn't super confident in the kitchen, so today's brunch was being catered. That decision brought on an attack of self-doubt until Cody pointed out that Monica didn't cook either. The Quartermaine brunch was put together by Cook. "I'd really like it if you were here."

"No, we aren't cancelling." Jason assured his sister. Skye sounded nervous, which made him frown. She shouldn't be nervous about hosting Alan and Monica. The fact that his big sister was in such a state was completely their father's fault. Stress was not good for the baby. "I was just calling to see if you wanted us to bring anything over. Any last minute items you might have forgotten?"

"We are good in the food department. I probably over ordered, which means Cody and I won't have to cook for most of the week." Skye walked out to the deck to get some fresh air.

"Is that Skye?" Liz opened the bathroom door and stuck her head out.

Jason nodded.

"Ask her what color she is wearing." Liz instructed her husband.

"Does it matter?" Jason wanted to know.

"Yes. She is the hostess I don't want to step on her moment by showing up in the same hue." Liz explained to him.

Jason didn't understand that statement at all. Guys wore the same color to things all the time and no one thought anything about it. "Skye, what color are you wearing to brunch?"

"Lilac." Skye told her brother. "Tell Liz I'm in my DVF. She'll know which one." The garment was on of Skye's favorites and it worked well with her expanding tummy.

Jason covered the mouthpiece of the phone. "Skye said to tell you she's in her DVF."

"She's looks great in that." Liz nodded her approval. "Does she know what Em is wearing?" Jason's younger sister was now officially a resident of Port Charles. So this brunch would also serve as a welcome home event.

"Tell her Em is wearing red." Skye could only imagine the look on Jason's face.

"Em is wearing red." Jason wondered why they didn't just call each other.

"Ask Liz to wear her yellow dress. She will know the one I'm talking about." Skye had been with her now sister when the dress was unpacked. It was another gift from Carolyn. As far as Skye was aware Liz had yet to wear it. The redhead thought Jason would like his wife in it.

"Skye said for you to wear your yellow dress." Jason told his wife.

"Jason!" Skye said laughing. "I said ask her."

"She already closed the door." Jason told his sister. He was guessing Elizabeth knew it was a request. "You and Cody should come over to the penthouse this week for a family dinner. I'll invite Em and Matt too. Any day but Wednesday works for us."

"We can hammer out the details later today since we will all be here." Skye figured her siblings would still be over after Monica and Alan left. The only person missing would be Lila. Their grandmother was skipping this gathering because it was important the kids and their parents figure some things out.

"Sounds good." Jason said as they ended the call. "Women are wonderful but very confusing beings Michael." His son was in the swing that they had in the bedroom. The little boy didn't respond but his eyes latched onto his dad's at the sound of Jason's voice. "Good luck trying to figure them out."

The bathroom door opened and Elizabeth came out in her robe. "I'll be ready in about five minutes."

"We are good on time." Jason assured her.

"I want to get there a little early to make sure Skye is okay." Liz's voice floated out of the closet. "Emily will more than likely be thinking along the same lines." Skye was strong enough to deal with Alan, and to a lesser extent Monica, but they still wanted to show some support. "How long until Nadine comes up?"

"About ten minutes." Jason was guessing their nanny would be a little early herself.

"Okay, what do you think?" Liz stepped out so he could see the outfit.

"I've never seen you in that color before." Jason said smiling.

"My mother sent it to me." Liz did a turn so he could see the entire outfit. The bright yellow sleeveless dress with a flared hem was perfect for an early summer get together. It could be casual or dressy depending on the accessories she put with it. It was one of those items that you would find yourself wearing year after year because it wasn't ever going to go out of style. Liz had paired it with nude sandals and her crystal stud earrings. "I am considering hiring her as my personal stylist."

"How often does she send you clothes?" Jason wanted to know.

"Whenever she comes across something she feels I must have in my wardrobe. It's not that often, and I would complain but she's always right." Liz said with a wide smile, she knew the gifts were her mother's way of saying she was thinking of her. "You look very handsome."

"Thanks." Jason was in charcoal grey dress pants and a blue grey dress shirt. "I don't think Alan and Monica have seen me in anything other than jeans in a while. They might not recognize me." He said chuckling.

"Who picked out your dress clothing?" Liz asked with a grin. He had the ability to dress himself, but she knew her guy. Shopping would be torture for him.

"In the beginning Sonny. He sent me to a tailor and ordered stuff." Jason admitted. "He wanted me to upgrade my wardrobe to improve our image. Since we were partners he couldn't force me to change how I dressed, but I did relent for meetings. After he died I kept a few suits for work and donated the rest. Now I pretty much just replace items when necessary. There are stores with my measurements around the city so I don't have to shop."

"Smart. I may just imitate that habit." Liz hated shopping just like her hubby. "Alright. Grab the kiddo and we'll go down to wait for Nadine." Today the nanny was going to be hanging out in the penthouse along with Lee and Milo. Georgie said she might stop by so that Nadine didn't feel outnumbered.

"Come on Michael." Jason said unstrapping his son and following Elizabeth downstairs.

* * *

"Hi!" Emily was waving from the passenger seat of the car as Matt parked. Jason and Liz had pulled into the driveway just before they did. "I love that dress." Emily paid her new sister a compliment. "Perfect for the summer."

"Thanks. You look amazing in that shade of red." Liz gave the compliment right back. Emily was in a vibrant hue as well, with a silhouette that was similar to the one Liz was wearing. "How was the move?" The guys were behind them as they walked to the front door.

"Fine. Jason sent a crew down, so I didn't have to do a thing." Emily said grinning. "They unpacked everything when we got here and put all the larger pieces where I wanted them." Emily had spent the rest of yesterday moving smaller items around and just getting used to the house. "How was California?"

"Wonderful. I generally have a relaxing time when I go. The house is available if you and Matt want to use it." Liz told the younger woman. Skye and Cody already knew they could take advantage of the location. "I have a chart on my computer so I can let you know when it's free."

"Thank you. We probably won't have more than a couple of days off at a time until the summer is over. We are newbies on the staff." Emily explained as they reached the door, it wasn't necessary to ring the doorbell. "However when vacation does roll around if the house is free I'd love to go out to California."

"Hi!" Skye was standing in the doorway smiling at both women. They had a group hug before she stepped back to allow them entry. She got kisses to the checks from Jason and Matt. "You guys look stunning."

"Thanks. I love that dress. Is that the one that sells out every time you wear it?" Emily wanted to know. Skye had gotten a hand written note and a bouquet of flowers from the design house after the third time it happened. The pastel shade was in direct contrast to both she and Liz so their older sister was going to stand out.

"This is the very one." Skye took them back into the kitchen where Cody was pouring drinks. "This might be the last time I can wear it for a while though." She was starting to show in some her clothes.

"Do you have any recent sonogram pictures?" Elizabeth wanted to know.

"We will have some this week." Skye was looking forward to that. "Maybe even a gender if the baby cooperates. So keep your fingers crossed."

"Ladies." Cody handed both Em and Liz a mimosa made with sparkling cider before getting two kisses to the cheek in greeting. "You both look lovely."

"Thank you." Liz answered for both her and Em. "We should have a toast. We are all here and happy."

"Yeah, we should toast that because we all know that at least one of us will be irritated before the day is out." Emily said being a smartass. "Although Grandfather isn't coming so we have a fighting chance." Both Emily and Skye knew that the older man was planning something. They were firmly in their brother's corner for the coming battle.

"Maybe we should have stayed in Maryland." Matt said with a smirk.

"Nope. The coming battle is going to be legendary. Folks are going to be talking about it for generations." Skye said smiling wide. "You guys definitely want to be on the front row for this one." She had no idea what Jason was planning, nor would he tell them, but she knew that Edward wasn't going to win. Since Jason had come home from the hospital the older man had been underestimating his grandson and he was about to learn that had been a mistake.

"No pressure though." Jason said laughing.

"Grandfather has it coming." Emily loved Edward but she wasn't blind to his faults. He was a bully and the takedown her brother was putting into motion was long overdue. Her attitude might seem cold to some, but she knew Jason wasn't going to hurt their grandfather. She also figured if Jason didn't handle Edward at some point on of his business rivals might. Her grandfather often played dirty.

"We don't have to think about that today." Liz said moving them away from the topic of Edward.

"Nope. We don't." Skye got the hint. "Let's talk about getting together at Jason's later in the week."

"Actually we'd like to host everyone at our place. Kind of like a house warming. Matt wants to break in the grill. Thank you, by the way." Emily said to Cody. The gleaming outdoor cooker was a gift from him and Skye.

"You're welcome. I love my grill." Cody said grinning. "I use it year round because I can't stand to be separated from it."

"I'm only a little jealous." Skye said dropping her guy a wink.

"You guys can come over and admire my Elizabeth Webber, now Morgan, original in the living room." Emily smiled at her sister. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Liz had painted it after Emily announced she was moving home.

"I didn't know you painted too." Skye couldn't wait to see it. Like her boyfriend she knew what Liz did for a living. Skye was a huge fan of the graphic novels her sister produced.

"I'm not as good with the brush as I am with my pencils, but I enjoy it. Most of my paintings I've given away as gifts. I do have one in my studio though. It's my view of the world from the back of Jason's bike." Liz said shrugging. She had something in mind for Skye and Cody as well, but was waiting for their anniversary. "The painting of Grandmother's roses in her office was done by me for her birthday last year."

"That painting is gorgeous. I cannot tell you the number of times I've threatened to steal it." Skye confessed while laughing. She loved that painting. "I will wait patiently for one of my own." She said with a slow smile. With both Em and Lila owning paintings, hers was coming. Skye just didn't know when.

"My girl is subtle." Cody said laughing.

"Back to the toast." Matt said raising his glass. "To family, wonderful and imperfect. And to being home."

"Well said." Emily beamed at her guy as everyone clinked glasses.

They put the champagne flutes down when the doorbell rang. "That's the last of our guests. Excuse me." Cody went to open the door.

Liz and Emily walked over and stood on either side of their sister. It was a deliberate move. They were making it clear she had their support, and that no one was hurting her feelings today. Emily looked at Liz and nodded, her sister nodded back. They were ready.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	42. Chapter 42

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 42

"All set?" Lila asked her husband. She was sitting in the parlor and gave him an angelic smile.

"I am. Thank you my dear for letting me go golf." Edward smiled back at his wife. He wasn't going to be anywhere near the links today. Instead he would be having a couple of meetings. The first was with Claire Walsh. The foremost attorney in the country for child custody cases had flown in last night to talk about Michael. Edward was hoping to hear her say she would take the case before they parted ways.

After that he was going to the club for lunch, he had some reading to do during the meal. Brian had handed him another file Friday before the work day ended. Edward needed to review the information on Peter Harrell, another shareholder in AJ's company. Like David Gray, the second investor was London based. Then Edward had a meeting with Logan. The private detective had also flown in last night. They were going to talk about who was coming to Port Charles to appear in court. Once all that was accomplished Edward would head back home.

"Don't feel that you need to rush home. I know you need your down time." Lila said smiling wider.

"I don't plan to linger. You'll be home all alone." Edward said patting her hand. "I have no idea where Alan and Monica went this morning."

"I believe they are both at the hospital." Lila said lying through her teeth. "I won't be alone, Amanda and her granddaughter Alison will be over to discuss this year's flower show." That was actually true. "So feel free to take some time to yourself. Go wild, maybe even play two rounds of golf." She was going to give him all the time he needed to get into trouble.

"You are too good to me." Edward kissed his wife's check before walking from the parlor.

Lila was humming as she wheeled herself down to her office, closing the door behind her. She hit the speaker function on her phone and dialed the ten digits that would put her in contact with her party. "Hello."

"Good morning Mrs. Quartermaine."

"Are we all set?" Lila want to know.

"Yes ma'am we are."

"Very good. Thank you for your assistance in this matter." Lila commented to the person on the other end of the line.

"You are very welcome."

"Very good." Lila said before ending the call. Looking at the phone she just slowly shook her head. Many people underestimated her reach. They looked at her and saw an older woman in a wheelchair. It never occurred to her that Edward would forget who he had married. Lila Morgan Quartermaine was not just a pretty face. That smile she often had hid some very sharp fangs. It was time her husband got a reminder of that.

* * *

"Cal, how the hell are you?" Luke asked the younger man. Cal and his brother Joe were the guys that Luke used when searching for folks south of the border. They never failed to find the person being sought.

"I'm living the dream." Cal's grin was a bit sly. "You really should consider relocating full time. The view is much better." He said as several women walked by. "Ladies." He said flirting. "Come on inside." The brothers owned a cigar shop where they sold everything from low end smokes to hand rolled Cubans. "Joe is out at the moment."

Luke took a seat and stretched out his legs. Cozumel was a lovely resort town, and he enjoyed the area. Living here full time would warrant some consideration. "He getting up to mischief?" The older man grinned and accepted the cigar being extended. In addition to information, he got all his cigars from the brothers.

"Nope, watching your pigeon." Cal loved it when things moved quickly on a job. "Webber sold his car and got a new one. Only thing was he went to a dealer. You can tell he's never been on the run before." Cal said shaking his head. "It was a cash deal, but down here folks have long memories. It only took us a day to find the car, and your guy asked for directions. So it was just a matter of calling some contacts at the resorts. It's not surprising he came here considering how popular it is with Americans."

"It pays to have friends." Luke said puffing away.

"It pays more to have informants." Cal leaned back in his chair. "Joe can grab Webber at the end of his shift if you want."

"What's he doing?" Luke wanted to know.

"Working for a local ambulance company. Another mistake he made. Never take the same job you had in the states. His papers are good though." Cal recognized the work of a local forger.

"I need to wait for my boy to call and say he's in New York before I can snatch Steven Webber. I will let you know when it's time. So for now I just need him watched." Luke told Cal.

"Got another iron in the fire?" Cal asked grinning.

"Always. Never put your eggs in one basket." Luke said chuckling.

"Amen brother." Cal always had multiple jobs going as well as running the shop. He and Joe had a whole network of people working for them. However they always personally worked the jobs of the man sitting in his office. Luke paid top dollar for results which made it worth their time. "You let us know when and we'll round him up."

"I have no doubt that when the time comes you will deliver my goods." Luke stood up. "I need to go check into my hotel. I'll enjoy the view until it's time to work."

Cal just nodded, but didn't get up. He would update his brother when Joe returned to the store.

* * *

"Mr. Quartermaine." Claire Walsh was standing beside the table.

"Ms. Walsh, welcome to Port Charles." Edward stood up and pulled out her chair. "Have you had a chance to review the information I sent you?"

Claire noted he was getting right down to business. That was fine with her. "I have." She paused while a cup of coffee was poured for her. "You were smart to not go for custody yourself, but I have to say your choice of potential parents may pose a problem. You are trying to take Michael from his uncle, a man who knew both child's parents well, and give the little boy to his second cousin. Lucas McKenna has never even been to Port Charles, which means he didn't know AJ or Caroline at all." Claire pointed out the biggest hole in the case.

"But it can work?" Edward wanted to know. He told Logan that the couple coming to Port Charles couldn't have the last name Spencer. Luke's reputation couldn't taint the case before they even made it to court. Edward needed this to work because he didn't really have any other options at the moment. The longer Jason had custody the harder it would be to get Michael from him.

"Yes, it can work." Claire nodded before taking a drink of her beverage. "I've had bigger gaps to overcome and won my case. What makes this more of a battle are three things. One is Michael's inheritance. Strange relatives coming out of the woodwork when there is money on the table screams of a cash grab. Judges are looking for that."

"The McKennas have a healthy bank account of their own." Edward lied to the attorney.

"There is a vast difference between healthy and the amount of money at stake. If you agree to leave the trustee as named in the will that can help tremendously." Claire let him know.

"That won't be a problem." Edward would push Skye out later, after he had Michael.

"Good. Number two is Diane Miller." Claire moved to the second issue.

"She's a criminal lawyer, family law is not her forte." Edward pointed out.

"That's true, but Diane is an excellent lawyer. To underestimate her in any way is incredibly dangerous. I have a lot of respect for her, and you should as well. Now having said that, this is my playground which means I have home court advantage." Claire said with a cocky smile. "My record speaks for itself."

"Your record is why you are here." Edward was liking what he was hearing. "What is the third issue?"

"Your new granddaughter. Elizabeth Morgan is just about the best wife your grandson could have. She doesn't even have a parking ticket in her past. There is nothing that I can use to show that she is going to be a detriment to Michael. She is so squeaky clean that she instantly lends credibility to Jason. She also was best friends with Michael's mother. Elizabeth ticks all the boxes a judge is going to be looking for." Claire began explaining. "You didn't include backgrounds for Lucas and his wife, but I seriously doubt they bring to the table what your newest granddaughter does."

"What if we could prove the Morgan marriage was in name only? The timing is suspicious." Edward said trying to find a way to neutralize the Elizabeth effect.

"That is harder than you think." Claire tried to avoid things like that. "Especially considering that she has been a part of Jason's life for the past few years. I did some research on your grandson. He appears in the paper quite a bit due to his job, and the fact that he is a part of your family. Elizabeth has been in his life for years, and no one knew exactly what her position was. Given what happened to his last girlfriend he could have very well been protecting Elizabeth." The attorney laid out the pitfalls of that line of thinking.

"Her sister was murdered." Edward recalled what little he knew about Elizabeth. "I believe it fractured her family and caused problems with her brother."

"We aren't going there." Claire said shaking her head. Edward had included that information in his initial written prospective. "Elizabeth was a minor at that time and none of what happened was her fault. Bringing that up in court is going to reflect badly on us. So we will let that go. If you get lucky the judge may ask about it, but don't count on it. Leave the dead girlfriend out as well. The police couldn't tie that to Jason, and the last thing we want is to look like we are mounting a smear campaign. Diane will have a field day with that."

"So you are going to take the case." Edward sat back satisfied. Claire Walsh was confident in her skills, but not cocky about them. Her assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of their case was impressive.

"Of course. This is going to be one of the most high profile custody battles of the year." Claire said with a wide smile. "I need to meet the McKennas and start working on my case. The sooner I can do that the better. When will they be in Port Charles?"

"This coming week." Edward would check in with Logan for an exact date. "They are going to stay until the judge renders his decision."

"Good." Claire nodded at what she was hearing. "I have booked a suite upstairs." The bill was going to be covered by Edward. Right now they were in the private dining room of the Port Charles Hotel. "Call me when they arrive. Do you know the status of Jason's adoption request?"

"It becomes active Monday morning." Edward passed along. "CPS gave him some time due to the loss of AJ."

"Not unheard of. The timing works out well for us." Claire hoped to file her adoption request two weeks from now. They should be called in for interviews not long after that. A court date would follow once a judge was assigned to the case. "I'm going to get set up and start working." She said standing up.

"Thank you." Edward shook the attorney's hand. "I am looking forward to our victory."

"So am I." Claire said before walking from the room to get to work.

* * *

"Come in." Cody opened the door and admitted Skye's father and stepmother. He had been very deliberate in not letting his girl answer the door. The older couple was standing in the foyer with all manner of items in their hands. If they thought they could buy their way out of this they were wrong. "Everyone is in the kitchen, but before I take you back I just want to get one thing clear. I'm done being polite, and standing back while you upset Skye. This is our home and if you step out of line I will be throwing you out of it." He looked at Alan and then at Monica. Cody had only held his peace up until now because Skye asked him to. "Think before you open your mouth and speak." He said before walking away and expecting them to follow.

Alan and Monica exchanged a look. "I'm almost afraid to stay now." He told his wife.

"Take Cody's advice and think before speaking." Monica said following her stepdaughter's boyfriend further into the house. So far they only had one good visit under their belts, so things were still shaky. She could admit that it was their fault the relationship was still so tense. In the kitchen the kids were gathered and she noted that Emily and Liz were flanking Skye. Monica didn't think it was accidental. "Hello."

"Mom. Dad." Emily said hoping the tension level in the room dropped soon. Stress wasn't good for Skye or the baby.

"Welcome to our home." Skye said telling herself to relax. Even though she hadn't said it out loud she was guessing Cody, and everyone else, knew she was nervous. "Can we take your bags?" Skye asked although she didn't move. The marble island was still between her and them.

"These are gifts since you said you didn't need anything when we called." Alan said feeling awkward. "Your home is lovely." That was a safe topic.

"It was a gift from Lila." Skye said with a smile. She wanted to have a good relationship with her father and stepmother, but after having been burned so many times she was scared. It helped having her siblings around her, and of course having Cody by her side. "The roses out front probably told you that."

"It was nice of her to do that for you, like she did with Emily and Matt." Alan said looking around the kitchen.

"Considering that Skye is her granddaughter too, it's not that surprising." Emily was more than likely going to be the hardest on her parents because they had been idiots. She hoped that they would reach out to Skye and make an effort to start forming a relationship after they had apologized while at her house, but nope. Skye ended up calling first. Monica said she needed to review her schedule so they could meet for lunch, but she never called back. So in Emily's mind like Edward they had it coming. However she wouldn't go too far because that would make Skye uncomfortable.

Jason cleared his throat to keep from laughing. He knew what his sister was doing. He also approved.

"These flowers are for you Skye. We also have a house warming gift." Monica held out the bouquet before Alan said something else. The more he talked the more dangerous things would get.

"Thank you." Skye walked around the island. She took the blooms and the gift bag that was being held out, which was surprisingly heavy, and got an awkward kiss to the cheek from Monica. Alan just smiled at her. "You should hand out the other gifts, we can all open them together." Skye suggested.

"Good idea." Alan wondered if this gathering could get any more uncomfortable. "Jason, this is for you and Elizabeth. Congratulations on the wedding."

"You looked lovely in the paper." Monica told Liz. Photos had appeared while the newlyweds were away.

"Thanks." Jason took the bag and went to stand by his wife. It was kind of heavy and he was wondering what was in it.

"This is for you Emily, and Matt of course." Monica took the last bag and gave it to her daughter. "A house warming gift. Since we didn't have one when we came over the other day."

"Thank you." Emily took the bag and went to join Matt. Together the three kids dug into the gifts while Monica and Alan watched. "This vase is lovely." The young doctor said smiling. "It will look good on the mantel in the living room. Thank you for the champagne."

"Thanks." Matt said reading the label on the bottle. They had gone high end with the booze. He and Em weren't big drinkers but they could find a time to enjoy the gift.

"You're welcome." Monica said smiling. Emily was the easy one to buy for, the other gifts the cardiologist was nervous about.

Jason looked in the bag. The first thing he pulled out was a soft blanket. "Michael will love that." He said with a nod to his parents before handing it to Elizabeth. "I'm guessing this is for us." He pulled out a wrapped square. There was also a bottle of champagne in their bag.

Elizabeth got the honor of opening the gift. "It's a shadow box. With our wedding invitation inside."

"Lila gave us a copy of her invitation so I could have that made. We thought you could hang it in the penthouse." Alan explained hoping they liked it. Neither he nor Monica could come up with anything the young couple might actually need.

"It's lovely. Thank you." Elizabeth said with a small smile. She nudged Jason.

"Yes, thank you." Jason repeated putting the shadow box away when Elizabeth handed it to him.

Skye smiled as she took the tissue paper from her gift. This was the first present Alan and Monica had ever given her. They didn't even exchange gifts last Christmas. She didn't see them over the holiday. Skye had instead stopped by Lila's office to have a visit and exchange gifts with her grandmother. Skye spent the holiday with Cody, Jason, and the rest of the crew. She looked in the bag and the first thing she saw was the bottle of champagne. Not a gift you normally give to someone in recovery.

"Champagne?" Cody was looking over her shoulder and when he looked up he pinned the older couple to the spot with his gaze. "Really?" While people who didn't know Skye well gave her alcohol, normally vendors she did business with sent bottles at Christmas, her parents should know better.

"We thought you two could toast the new house." Alan said getting that Cody was upset but not understanding why.

Skye started laughing she couldn't help it. She had mentioned on more than one occasion her past struggles with alcohol. Clearly neither Alan nor Monica had been paying attention. Skye was laughing so hard that tears were starting to stream down her face. The fact that no one else saw the humor in the situation made her laugh harder.

"Mom, dad may I speak with you." Emily was ready to strangle them.

"It's fine Em." Skye said getting herself back under control. She was rubbing Cody's arm because like her siblings he was pissed. "I'm in recovery. I've mentioned it before. I've been sober for over seven years now. AJ and I once had an entire conversation at the mansion, during brunch, on that very topic." They also had also started a support system for one another.

"Oh." Monica looked at her husband. "That didn't take long."

"Really its fine. Just getting a bottle champagne isn't going to make me want to have a drink." Skye let them know. In the early days this might have derailed her, but these days her life was too good to even risk it. She was firmly committed to her sobriety. "Cody isn't much of a drinker either, so if it's okay I'll give this to Em and Matt. I'm sure they will be getting invites to parties now that they live here. They can take this to one, or drink it themselves." Skye said taking the bottle out of the bag. "Unless you guys want it." She looked at Liz.

"We are fine with this one." Liz figured their bottle was going to collect dust. They might open it on New Year's Eve to celebrate, but probably wouldn't because they didn't much champagne.

"Let's just consider this an ice breaker and move on." Skye said acknowledging that everyone was on edge. There was something else in the bag, but she would open that later. Just in case. "Everyone grab a plate. I thought we could eat on the deck since the weather is so nice." And with that brunch got underway.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	43. Chapter 43

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 43

Elizabeth was back in the kitchen looking over the pastries trying to decide what to have for dessert. Everything looked delicious and the fact that Cook's chocolate cake was also here was making the choice even harder. "Maybe I should just take one of everything." She said with a grin.

"Elizabeth." Monica was standing behind her daughter in-law, with Alan by her side. They had been waiting for an opportunity to speak to Liz alone and it had finally come up.

"Yes." Liz looked over at the older couple who she hadn't really had much interaction with today. They had been making it a point to give Skye most of their attention. Which was fine, Liz had been glad to see them doing so. If things continued to go well, they might learn the family was expanding before Skye started showing off her bump.

"We wanted to apologize, for our behavior." Monica told the younger woman. "We've been rather blatant in our ignoring of you. Which is not only rude, but hurtful."

Liz put her plate down. "Can I ask why you felt the need to pretend I didn't exist? Aside from the fact that you were worried I was after Jason's bank account."

"Because attempts to push Carly out of AJ's life failed." Alan said being honest.

"You thought if you treated me like a non-entity I would have become one." Liz said making sure she was getting what they were saying. "Clearly that didn't work either. What about me was unsuitable? Just out of curiosity. I know you objected to pretty much everything about Carly. From the way she dressed to the job she held. Where did I come up short?" It was just them and before she accepted their apology, which she would for Michael's sake, Liz needed some answers.

Both doctors squirmed some under Elizabeth's gaze. "We made some erroneous assumptions." Monica finally said.

"Like." Liz prodded them.

"That you didn't actually have a job. We thought that your apartment and clothes were given to you by Jason." Alan admitted quietly.

Liz was struck mute. "So Carly was a gold digger, and I was a kept woman. Let me guess what you were thinking." Liz was trying to keep control of her temper, but she hadn't ever felt so insulted in her life. "Carly had it good, so she called me up and said come on over I've got a patsy for you to milk dry. Is that what you thought was going on?"

"Well, yes." Monica kept going because she felt the need to explain. "Jason said you two were introduced by Carly. I've never heard you mention a job, or going to school, or having any source of income. Rent in the Towers isn't cheap."

"So I'm a leech, and Jason was just too stupid to see what was going on." Liz said drumming her fingers on the counter. "Man I was way off. I thought for sure you disliked me because I wasn't Robin. I never would have guessed what you just said. For the record let me clear a few things up for you. I do have a job. It's the same one I had when I moved into the Towers. Yes, I went to college and I did graduate. No, Jason didn't give me my apartment or fund shopping trips. I paid for my unit on my own, and most of my clothes have come from my mother because I hate to shop. Are there any other misconceptions I can correct for you?" She was really glad Jason wasn't around, he and Matt had gone to look at Cody's new riding mower. This would seriously piss him off.

"Would you mind telling us exactly what it is you do? Lila was the one who corrected us about you being employed. She also mentioned that you have a well-paying job, but wouldn't say what it was." Monica commented fishing just a little. She had asked around and no one she knew had any clue exactly where Liz worked. That made Monica wonder if Liz was somehow connected to Jason's illegal businesses in some way.

Liz just smirked. "My job is perfectly legal." What Jason's mother was thinking was written all over her face. Monica would probably think she was some kind of madam next. "I'm not going to tell you what it is though. Not after I went from kept woman to high priced call girl in the blink of an eye."

"We judged you without getting to know you." Alan conceded. He had the good grace to blush, because that was what he had been wondering. "We are going to do better from here on out."

What Liz was thinking was that they couldn't do much worse, however she said something different. "Thank you. I will tell Jason you apologized." She waited to see if they were going to ask about visiting with Michael, but they didn't. Apparently they did have some common sense, while she knew that was predominately why they apologized they were smart enough not to advertise that fact.

"Maybe we could go to lunch some time." Monica cautiously suggested. She had done a lot of damage being judgmental and now it might be too late.

"Let me look at my schedule. If we are lucky Skye and Emily can join us." Liz said with a pasted on smile. Honestly she wasn't looking to have a relationship with her now mother in-law. Family gatherings would be enough, but there was no need to be hostile. If her sisters were going to lunch with Monica, then she would be happy to tag along.

"That would be nice." Monica got the unspoken message.

"There you are." Jason said coming into the kitchen.

"Yes, I was checking out the sweets when Alan and Monica came in to talk to me." Liz said giving her husband a real smile. "They apologized and I accepted."

"Good." Jason looked over at his parents. "I think Emily is looking for you. She is showing some pictures of how the decorating of her house is going."

"We should go out and see what she picked." Alan was only a little disappointed that Jason didn't invite them to come see Michael. Monica had said today wouldn't be enough to change their son's mind. That they would have to back this apology up with better behavior. "Before we go you should know that father has hired Claire Walsh to take on the custody case."

"I believe she is arriving in Port Charles today." Monica added on. Edward had been talking on the terrace thinking he was home alone, and Alice had overheard part of the conversation. The housekeeper had been asked to pass along any information she picked up. What Monica, nor Alan, knew was that this information came from Lila. "I'm not sure what he is planning."

"I am keeping an eye on Edward." Jason told the older couple. He knew all about the lawyer. "We'll be out in a minute." He said waiting until they left before speaking again. "I was on the other side of the French doors and I heard your entire conversation." He letting a slow smile come to his face. He had just shook his head at his parents arrogance. "I was wondering if Alan was going to have to pick Monica up from the floor when she insinuated that you were exchanging a nice lifestyle for sex." He was angry with his parents for that assumption, something his wife would see in his eyes.

"Clocking her was tempting." Liz admitted. "I don't think I've ever been that insulted in my life. Adulting and using your words instead of your fists is hard at times."

"I'm proud of you." Jason leaned forward and kissed her nose.

"When will they be able to see Michael?" Liz wanted to know.

"When I know they actually meant what they said today. I know you are not looking for a new set of parents. I'm not saying you have to start hanging out at the mansion on weekends. I don't do that so I can't expect it of you. I just need to know you are being respected." Jason explained his thinking. "I also need to know they aren't going to try something if I let Michael go to the mansion."

"You think they would try to keep him?" Liz asked surprised. He already mentioned Edward, but she hadn't extended that to his parents.

"The thought has crossed my mind." Jason said shrugging his shoulder. "Tracy tried something like that when her ex-husband let Dillon come over for a summer visit. She took him out of the country with no intention of coming back."

"I thought Dillon lived here when he was alive." Liz asked confused.

"He moved here when he was in high school. If he had stayed away he might still be alive." Jason cleared up. "Paul was killed in a car accident, so she got custody. Monica insinuated for years that Tracy caused the crash." There was a part of Jason that believed that. His aunt hated her ex-husband.

"Your family is messed up. I thought my family had issues, but yours takes the cake." Liz said shaking her head.

"It's too late to get away now." Jason said laughing. "You are stuck with me." He lifted her hand and kissed above his ring.

"I don't scare easily." She said with a wink. "Let me get some dessert and we can head back out."

"Grab enough to share." Jason said with a grin. He had grilled vegetables earlier so he had earned a treat.

* * *

Logan stood by the gate and waited while the passengers left the plane. Lucky appeared first and since he was holding the hand of the redheaded woman next to him. Logan guessed that Siobhan. He was smart like that. They were already looking the part. "Welcome to Port Charles." He had called last night and told them to arrive today. The mob guys wanted a look at the couple.

"Thanks." Lucky said as he returned to the place he had been born. He had no memories of this small town at all, and he was interested in looking around. Maybe even seeing if the club his father used to own was still around. "This is Siobhan."

"Hello." She had been thrilled to get the call to work this job with Lucky. She had worked with Luke once before and the con had gone bad. As far as she knew the older man didn't want to work with her ever again. Looks like she was being given a second chance. It also wouldn't be a hardship to pretend to be married to Lucky. She had a weakness for blondes.

"You're Irish." Logan hadn't been expecting that.

"I am, but I do a several very good American accents. For this job Lucky picked a slight Texas drawl, which I do very well. When we get to court I'll use that." Siobhan explained as they headed to the luggage carousel. "Unless you want me to be from somewhere else. I do a good New York and Georgie accent as well."

"Texas will be fine." Logan was thinking that if everything went the way it was planned, neither one of the people he was picking up today would do much talking in court.

"Where are we staying?" Lucky wanted to know.

"Port Charles Hotel. It's owned by the Quartermaine family. You'll be on the same floor that I am, in a nice big suite, and one floor below your lawyer who you will meet soon." Logan reached in his pocket and took out a cardboard key holder. "You are already checked in. Feel free to order as much room service as you like. Same with movies."

Lucky nodded in understanding. They were going to be in their room for most of the stay. Or until they got custody of the kid. "Has a court date been set?"

"Your lawyer will give you all that information." Logan said as they got into the car. "You want the nickel tour?"

"Why not." Lucky would sneak out later to take a closer look at the area, this quick drive around would help him establish which direction he needed to walk in.

* * *

After playing chauffeur Logan headed to his second to last meeting of the day. This would be their only face to face meeting, because they couldn't be seen together. "I'm just in demand." He said with a smirk. He had scoped this area out last night. Meeting off the beaten path made him nervous.

"You have good timing." Edward was sitting on bench that was hidden by tall bushes. This was the edge of the lake on the Quartermaine property, but about as far from the boathouse as you could get. Lila was the only person in the house and she never came out here these days, so it was a perfect place to meet.

"The McKennas are in their hotel room." Logan said taking a seat.

"Good." Edward was looking forward to getting Claire's opinion on if they would be suitable. They needed to be, otherwise he would have to start from scratch and that would be a problem because the clock was ticking. Once the young couple got custody they could stay until CPS was satisfied, and then he would relocate them after he made it appear they had an accident. With Jason having already been denied custody no one would blink at Michael coming to live at the mansion. Worrying about Skye or Emily didn't even cross Edward's mind. "Jason's application goes live tomorrow."

"I am aware of that." Logan was being kept in the loop by Francis, but Edward would simply think it was from leg work. "I like to know what all the players are doing. Your grandson is not someone to take lightly."

"Speaking of my grandson. I need you to do some digging." Edward was impressed with Logan's result so far. He was going to keep the young man on retainer once all this was handled.

"I have time on my hands." Logan said grinning. "That's never a good thing, so staying busy is for the best."

"A strong work ethic is a good thing." Edward said with approval. "I need all the information you can get on Elizabeth Morgan."

"Do I give what I learn to you or Ms. Walsh?" Logan said not batting an eye.

"Me. Claire doesn't need to know that I'm making this request. I want you to get as much information as you can on the death of Elizabeth's sister. Also I need to know what Jason's wife does for a living. No one seems to know." Except Lila and Jason he said to himself. "I need that information."

"Then I'll get it for you." Logan said with extreme confidence.

Edward nodded, if he could find one thing to neutralize Elizabeth then Jason would lose his biggest asset. "I need to get home." Lila's guests would be leaving soon. "I'll wait for your call."

"Yes sir." Logan said heading back to his rental. In the car he put his phone in the hands free holder. "I just finished meeting with Edward, he wants information on Elizabeth." This was his last meeting for the day.

"Not surprising." Johnny was taking this call. "Liz said that the Quartermaines pretty much treated her like a non-entity. They never bothered to learn about her. Monica put out feelers which Lila blocked. We will discuss this with Jason tomorrow, and get back to you with something to give to Edward."

"Okay. Lucky and Siobhan are here." Logan passed along.

"Our guys are monitoring." Johnny had already gotten his first report. "They are playing with all the knobs and buttons in their fancy suite like kids who've never been anywhere before."

"Edward told them to stay inside." Logan passed along.

"If they listen that will make them easier to track." Johnny leaned back in his chair. "Claire's room is also wired, so we'll know what her strategy is. We will let you know if we need you to do anything with the lawyer, but I doubt that will be the case."

Logan was guessing there was a plan in the works for the fake married couple, but he wasn't going to ask about it. When he needed information he would get it. "That I can do. Did you get the recordings?"

"I did." Johnny was grinning. They had planned to simply blackmail Edward, but it turned out Diane could use them in court if necessary. There was a loophole that could be exploited if need be. Logan was getting a nice bonus for thinking ahead. "Thank you."

"Call me if you need me." Logan said ending the call and heading to a pub he spotted last night. It was time for a burger and a beer.

* * *

"Hi." Nadine closed her book and stood up. "Michael is upstairs napping. He should be getting up in about thirty minutes. I did his laundry and put it away. I changed the linens in the nursery, and I also made bottles for the next three days." The nanny told him.

Liz blinked at the rundown of what had been done in their absence. "Thank you. You don't have to do Michael's laundry."

"It's part of the job." Nadine pointed out. "I take care of Michael, his personal items, and his living space. I also prep meals. Otherwise I'm just very expensive babysitter." She was getting that Liz and Jason didn't want to take advantage of her, but she was here to work. Nadine was going to take a cue from Georgie. The nanny wanted to do her job and she wanted her employers to not feel guilty about letting her do that job. Her first paycheck had been deposited in the bank, and she didn't feel like she had earned it.

"Point made." Jason heard her loud and clear. "We both go back to work tomorrow so we'll be less hands on during the day." Starting in the morning they would all be back to their normal routine.

"Can I talk you into not putting a nursery next door?" Nadine asked Liz pushing a little more. "Michael will be here, and I can bring him over for visits and lunch."

"I'm open to trying that." Liz could always change her mind.

"Focusing on your job doesn't mean you are ignoring him." Nadine had actually taken classes on how to deal with parental guilt at having a live in child care provider. "From what I've seen the two of you are not work obsessed, although I'm sure there will be times where your work needs more attention than normal. Figuring out the balance you need during the time he doesn't remember is just easier."

"It's almost like you're a trained professional or something." Liz said laughing.

"That is kind of funny." Nadine was smiling when she headed to the door. "What time tomorrow." She asked before stepping into the hall.

"I'll call you. Diane is coming over for an early meeting after which Jason and I will head out to work." Liz explained. "Most days you'll start at eight-thirty and the day will end around five. I'll give you as much notice as I can if that needs to change."

"Sounds good. Bye." Nadine said before heading home.

"Let's go check on Michael. While we are I'll tell you what Edward is up to." Jason said holding out his hand.

"I was wondering when you were going to explain about Claire Walsh." Liz replied as they walked upstairs.

"Edward has tracked down some of Carly's biological family members. It turns out that her mother was related to a man Sonny ran out of town." Jason began explaining. "He isn't coming, but his son is. As well as a pretend wife. They will be petitioning the court for custody in roughly two weeks."

"How is that even going to work?" Elizabeth wanted to know. "That screams money grab."

"I'm sure some tale will be spun in court to make it look like the family was searching for Carly all this time. Only they found her too late. My grandfather is also probably planning on them having an "accident" after they get custody. Conveniently they will name him as guardian. He won't kill them, but I'm betting a relocation with new identities is in the works." Jason wasn't worried because Diane had the situation under control. "We have Lucas Spencer Jr. and his fake wife Siobhan under surveillance."

"How far are you going to let Edward go?" Liz wanted to know. Michael was sleeping.

"To court. We are giving him enough rope to hang himself." Jason said as he smiled down at his son. Also if by not saying anything now he could possibly get more information on what Edward was doing on the business front. "He won't win."

"No, he won't." Liz was confident about that. "Come on, I'll make you some coffee while we wait for Michael to get up. First let me change into some jeans."

"Can I watch?" Jason asked with a lecherous grin.

"No." Liz said laughing at his pout. "We don't have time, but later you can watch me take off my jeans."

"Deal." Jason said grinning. He couldn't wait until bed time.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	44. Chapter 44

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 44

"Good morning Morgans." Diane said coming into the penthouse. "How is married life treating you?"

"Married life is good." Jason told his attorney.

"Wow, that's a ringing endorsement for the institution." Diane said putting her briefcase down on the coffee table. "Rein in the enthusiasm."

"Hey Diane." Liz said coming down the stairs. She stopped by the portable crib and adjusted Michael's blanket. He just had his morning bottle and was napping.

"Liz, how was California?" Diane expected to get more words from her friend.

"Amazing, as always." Liz said taking a seat. "Sit down." She invited. "I've really been missing out not exploring Malibu more. Jason and I went on this hiking trail and the views were stunning. When you and Francis go out the map is in the drawer of the table in the foyer." Her friends enjoyed being outdoors. "I also took everyone to LA so we could do the tourist thing. Felix says to tell you hi."

"I really need to get out to the west coast soon so we can shop. He's the only person who can keep up with me." Diane very much liked Elizabeth's publicist. "How is married life?"

Liz let a slow smile come to her face. "So wonderful." Jason handed her a mug of hot chocolate as she answered and she smiled up at him.

Diane was watching the interaction and couldn't help but grin. This was what she was looking for. This was what she wanted CPS to see. A young couple in love, who were extending that love to their son. Elizabeth wasn't as guarded as Jason, but she also managed to soften her husband. As a unit they weren't a concern. Neither was Liz on her own. What had Diane worried was the one on one interview Betsy would want to do with Jason. "How did Michael do with the flight?"

"He was fine. He's a good baby." Liz said smiling wide. "We took him to the beach with us for our morning walks. I think that was probably one of my favorite parts of each day. It was just the three of us having family time." She leaned back into the couch.

Diane nodded sipping her coffee. More of what she wanted to see. It was clear that Liz loved her husband and her son. The timing of the marriage was going to have CPS looking closely at the couple. They were used to people trying to sell a certain image thinking that was needed. After talking with Liz it would be clear this marriage was the real thing, and that they were working to form a family with Michael. "Take lessons from your wife." Diane looked over at her client. "Emote a little. Try to sound happy about the fact that you are a husband and father."

"I am happy to be married and a dad." Jason said frowning. "That doesn't sound right. I'm not happy my brother is gone, but I love Michael, and Elizabeth. I love the life we are building." He finished up.

Diane listened to Jason and watched him as she figured out how to sell him to CPS. Liz just glowed with her happiness, yes she was grieving but at the same time she was openly embracing the good things in her life. Jason was just more subdued by nature. So it would be best if Betsy talked to Jason sooner rather than later. His lack of interpersonal skills could be chalked up to him still grieving for his brother. It sounded cold, like she scheming, but Diane's job was to make sure her clients won over Betsy Chilson. Getting the social worker on their side was key in having their custody petition approved.

"I'm going to call Ms. Chilson and set up interviews for the two of you. I'm not sure how many times you'll need to meet for these talks, but I know it will happen at least twice." Diane said starting her prep work. Jason, I'm going to have you go first. I know answering questions is not your favorite thing but please try not to come across as impatient." There was a reason she never put him on the witness stand. "I won't be there to help you."

"They'll want to talk to us together and separately?" Elizabeth wanted to know.

"Yes. CPS will also be doing at least one home study visit. They already did a home inspection while you were away. You passed that with flying colors. I put forward Skye and Emily as character references for Jason. Elizabeth, your mother sent me the most divine letter about you." Diane said smiling. "Your parents have also agreed to a video interview if necessary. Georgie is also willing to sit in the hot seat." The attorney was going down a list on her phone. "Nadine will be interviewed since she is your child care provider. I'll have a brief chat with her, but I'd rather not get too hands on there. I want her to give her honest opinion. The fact that you let her stay is already a point in your favor."

"We are still working out her schedule." Liz let Diane know.

"That's fine. You had a child dropped in your lap after an unexpected loss. No one expects you to be perfect at this. Showing that you are still figuring things out will not hurt your case." Diane assured her young friend.

"Are they going to ask about my history with Elizabeth?" Jason didn't want to have to lie about how long they were dating. He wasn't very good at making things up.

"Yes. You can truthfully say that she's been in your life for years. First as your friend, and then as something more." Diane was picking her words carefully because the odds were good Jason was going to say them to CPS verbatim. "You both were committed to one another before Michael's arrival, Jason taking custody didn't have any effect on that. Keep your answer simple and speak with conviction." She advised them both. "Do you have any outings planned?" Some press exposure would be a good thing. She wanted them to be seen as a young and happy couple. However to constantly be seen out would hurt their case.

"I have a business dinner this week. Elizabeth is coming with me." Jason told Diane.

"With whom?" The attorney wanted to know. Not all of Jason's business associates had good public images.

"Jasper Jacks and hopefully his girlfriend." Jason needed to touch base and confirm they were still meeting.

"Fantastic." Diane said giving her seal of approval. "That's who you want to be seen with until we have custody. Nice, upstanding, international businessmen."

"I won't be meeting with any of my other associates for the time being." Jason passed along. "Francis or Johnny will handle anything that can't wait."

"Good." Diane had meetings with them scheduled as well. They needed to make sure Jason was squeaky clean. Something she guessed they already knew. "Any questions for me?"

"What about the other couple who will be coming forward to request custody?" Elizabeth couldn't help but be worried.

"You don't have to worry about them. I am on top of that situation." Diane assured Liz. "Anything else?"

"Will the fact that I am working under a false name be an issue?" Liz didn't want it to come across like she was lying.

"Nope. On the application you listed your career as artist, which is true. You aren't required to give any more information on that. This adoption will move much faster than a non-relative adoption does. CPS wants you to win your case, they don't want to have to put Michael into a system that is already straining at the seams." Diane shared what she knew. "AJ and Carly want you to raise Michael, and so does the state. The state assumes that the biological parents took the time to make sure you would be good for their child. I got the impression that if CPS didn't have to jump through certain hoops, then they would have approved your application the day it came in."

"For the first time the authorities are actually on my side." Jason couldn't help but point out.

"All you have to do is be yourselves, love Michael, and don't do anything stupid." Diane gave Jason a look. "Stay out of handcuffs."

"It's never my choice to be in them in the first place." He fired back being a smartass.

"But you make them look so good." Liz could help but adding.

Jason looked at his wife and smiled. Not a half smile or a smirk, but a full on toothy grin. "Had I known you liked the look so much I would have picked up a pair of cuffs for our trip out west."

Liz just blushed bright.

"Jason Morgan, look at you flirting!" Diane was kind of surprised. "Keep that up. I need to get to work. Give the cutie a kiss from me when he wakes up." The attorney said heading for the door.

"You are so bad." Liz said waiting for her face to cool down.

"That's why you love me though." He said before leaning down and kissing her. "I'll be in a meeting with the guys when I get to the warehouse, but if you need me call. My cell phone will be on."

"I'm sure we'll be fine." Liz let him know. "We are just moving things from downstairs. While we are putting everything where we want it, my former unit is getting painted so that a crew can come out tomorrow and move Georgie and Milo, then move Nadine. So she'll be off on Wednesday during the day, and working that night while we are out."

"Have you always been this organized?" He asked kind of impressed.

"Yes." Liz said grinning. "I'm like my mother in that way. She kept our house running like clockwork when I was growing up. No matter what we had going on she was on top of it." That skill came in handy with them moving so often. "No matter how many kids we have, we will be those parents who never miss anything."

Jason had to smile at the mention of more children. Now wasn't the time, but it was good to know she was open to the idea. "When do we meet with the architect for the first time? Before those other kids arrive we should have our house finished."

"Friday." She let him know. "At his office."

The guard knocked. "That's probably Nadine." Jason said looking at the clock. "I'm going to head out. Have a good day baby."

"You too." Liz said walking him to the door and getting another kiss. "Hey you two." Nadine and Georgie were in the hall. "Come on in. The crew will be here shortly and we can get started."

* * *

Jason was in the conference room getting his notes ready. This was going to be a full meeting with the top guys so they needed to use the big room. When Sonny was in charge they had a huge rectangular table in the room, with a large chair at the head. A very clear statement that Sonny was running things. Now the room had a round table, and all the chairs matched. Jason was in charge, everyone knew that, he didn't need a throne.

"Welcome back." Francis said coming in and putting his papers down to Jason's right. They didn't have assigned seating, but he and Johnny generally sat next to their boss. "How did you like California?"

"I had a great time. Most of that had to do with Elizabeth being there." Jason said with a grin. He was pretty sure that they could have stayed here and he still would have loved every minute of their honeymoon. "Still I see the point of going away."

"Good we won't have to argue with you about taking vacation now." Francis said going over to grab a cup of coffee.

"Nice tan you've got there." Johnny put his notes down and headed over to the coffee station. "What did you think of her compound?"

"Very private which didn't surprise me. Thank you for putting in the security upgrades." Jason said to his friend.

Johnny saluted his friend with his mug in a silent you're welcome. "How are Mrs. Morgan and the munchkin this morning?"

"They are both fine. Elizabeth was about to start her day when I left, and Michael will be with Nadine." Jason was missing them both. He had gotten spoiled having so much time off.

"Kyle has Gary with Nadine today, since both Milo and Lee are going to be sitting in on this meeting." Francis passed along. "All the ladies will be urged to stay indoors." Liz and Georgie's guards were also going to be at the meeting.

"It's going to rain, so I doubt that they will want to go out anyway." Johnny said looking out the window at the gathering storm clouds as the guys started filing into the room. One of the things that he really loved about being a mobster was that meetings never started late, and they always ended on time. Punctuality was one of the hallmarks of the mob.

Once everyone was seated Jason looked at Francis. Jason would speak up if necessary, but it was really his top LTs, who had things to report.

"So we have three major issues at the moment. Ironically enough none of them are mob related." Francis said grinning. "One is AJ and Carly's death. We are finding no ties to us. I told Cooper to stay put in case we need him to start looking in a different direction. Number two is the upcoming custody case. We know that Edward has brought in a couple to file a false adoption petition. Logan is on that. Finally we have Edward's attempt to take over AJ's company. All of these impact us because they affect Jason."

"While all the custody things are happening, Jason is basically going to be a figurehead leader." Johnny took over. "Any issues with the territories will get run by either me or Francis leaving him free to deal with his grandfather." Johnny thought that Jason had the harder opponent. "That doesn't mean we are not going to be backing Jason up. Anything he needs from us we will do. We just have to make sure we stay under the radar. Now more than ever." He looked around the room and everyone was nodding. That shouldn't be a problem.

"Everyone's assignments are staying the same." Francis said as he handed out legal sized envelopes. "Marco, Milo, and Lee you guys need to make sure you keep your charges within sight at all times. When Edward's proxies lose their custody bid he may go for a snatch. If we feel its necessary you may get partners." None of the guys would take that as an insult. "Inside the envelopes are pictures of the key players in this drama. Remember Logan is on our side. From time to time it may not look like it depending on what we need him to do, but I don't want anyone in this room messing with him."

The guys flipped through the pictures that were in the packets. Marco stopped when he got to a face he had seen before. "Boss?"

"Yes?" Jason said finally speaking. They were done so he didn't mind if the guys wanted to take the floor.

"I've seen this guy before." Marco held up the picture of Lucky. "In London at AJ's inquest."

"Are you sure?" Johnny shifted through his own pile of pictures.

"Positive. Me and Ritchie were hanging back and watching who went into the courtroom before we did. This guy was doing the same, he walked in ahead of us. He spent the time waiting on the phone, but we weren't close enough to hear what he was saying. Honestly almost everyone was on the phone because a lot of press was there." The guard explained.

"He was there, and now he's here." Jason said looking at the photo Marco was still holding up. He didn't have to tell anyone who that was because all the personal information was on the back.

"Too much of a coincidence." Cody said looking at Jason. Like his boss he rarely spoke in meetings.

"When you add in that he is Luke's son it stinks to high heaven." Renaldo leaned forward on the table. "Did your grandfather know Luke? If so we may need to reconsider if your grandfather was involved in your brother's death."

"I have no idea if Edward knew Luke." Jason simply hadn't foreseen this wrinkle.

"They had to know one another." Francis said pulling up something he hadn't thought of in years. "Edward would have known the former club owner because Luke hired Mary Mae Ward to sing at his bar. Mary Mae was Justus's grandmother, and the mother of Edward's deceased son Bradley. I wouldn't have guessed that they were in contact though. They didn't socialize back then."

Jason just gave it some thought. Lots of strings connecting the two men together. If that was the case then why would Luke send his son to Port Charles? "Call Cooper. Send him Lucky's picture. I want to know if he was in the area when AJ and Carly died." The blonde mob boss instructed.

"He has a lot of eyes on him at the moment." Johnny said tapping the picture. "Just disappearing won't work."

"We won't touch him, yet." Jason told the guys in the room. "We will let him do what Edward hired him for. In the meantime Cooper can investigate why Lucky was at the inquest. If we need to follow him back to New Mexico to make the snatch then so be it. We need to contact Logan and ask about Luke."

"Luke is in Mexico. Logan let us know about that after they met." Francis told his boss. "Lucky let that slip."

Jason nodded understanding Francis had that under control.

"Since we are talking about Edward. He wants Logan to do a deep run on Liz." Johnny passed along. "I've got a file ready to go. You just need to approve it. Angie has it."

Jason nodded. That meant it was on his desk. His assistant didn't open anything from his top guys unless she was instructed to do so. Whatever Johnny put together would be fine. His friend would know what was needed. "What do we know about Claire Walsh?"

"She went to school with your cousin Chloe." Francis had been surprised to learn that. "They were members of the same sorority."

"Seriously?" Jason pinched his nose. "And now she is here too."

Cody just shook his head. "I don't see your cousin getting involved in this custody battle. She doesn't even associate with your family."

"She associates with Lila." Jason said starting to smile. "I think I need to speak with my grandmother."

"You think Claire is working for her?" Renaldo was so glad he wasn't a member of Jason's family. They seemed to spend all their time plotting against one another.

"It's another coincidence that is just too coincidental." Francis said shaking his head. Lila was a lot stronger than she appeared. They all knew that she was throwing her weight behind Jason, but they hadn't expected her to make any major moves. "Would she do this?"

"Yes." Jason didn't hesitate to answer. "She is staying out of the battle for AJ's company, but I can see her using any influence she has in keeping Edward from getting custody. I'll talk to her, and if that's the case we will leave her be." Whatever she had planned would work. Of that he had no doubt.

Johnny nodded indicating it was his friend's call. He wouldn't bet against Lila. She had the power. The woman was no joke. "So right now we need to focus on the Spencer clan, and their connection to AJ."

"As well as keeping the business running." Francis thought for once their illegal import operation would be the easier of the two. "If you don't need me I'll call Cooper."

"That's fine. We don't have anything else to discuss at the moment." Jason told Francis. From this point forward meetings would be smaller and held in his office. Jason just needed his top guys to know what was going on. "Thank you for coming." He said ending the meeting.

"How will you keep yourself busy?" Johnny wanted to know.

"I have some irons in the fire that need tending. Edward is gathering information on people that don't exist." Jason said with a grin. "Stan will be coming to my office to give me a report when I call him. I also have some legitimate businesses that I'm thinking of acquiring."

"I can't wait to see exactly what it is you have planned for your grandfather." Johnny hadn't asked because he liked surprises.

"Jasper and I have a very simple but effective plan." Jason told his friend.

"The dinner is part of it?" Johnny knew Jason didn't have business meetings out in the open. Generally he used a private dining room to avoid eavesdropping.

"It is." Jason knew his grandfather was watching Jasper. So there would be a spy in the room. More than likely Brian Beck. Which worked out well for them. Edward had already lost this game. He just didn't know it yet.

"Have fun." Johnny said getting to his feet and heading to his office. He wanted to check in with Logan and update him about Spencer.

Jason also headed to his office. It was time to see just what Edward had learned.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	45. Chapter 45

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 45

"Are you going to be okay down here all by yourself?" Liz asked her assistant with a cheeky grin. "I'm not going to be popping in once a day anymore to make sure you are actually working." The petite artist joked.

"I know." Georgie's smile was wide. "I plan on downloading as many games as I can and playing them during work hours. I also have some mindless surfing planned. There are lots of internet shops I can lose myself in. Plus I'm considering taking up smoking. It's going to be great." She said being a smartass.

"Is there any wonder we get along so well." Liz said laughing. The work spaces were all set up and so was the downstairs area. Now that everything was in place Liz was seeing she had way more room than she needed. Especially since Michael was next door. But being up here made the guys relax, so for now she stayed.

"Want to talk about what is on your mind now, or later?" Georgie got up and came around her desk.

"That's annoying." Liz said before sticking out her tongue.

"I'm your girl Friday. I'm supposed to know when you are thinking deep thoughts and what those thoughts are." Georgie just grinned. "If you don't want to talk about that, we can talk about the idea you have for a second graphic novel series. It's been a while since we visited that topic."

Liz just grinned at her friend. "The second graphic novel is very much on my mind. So is what that means to my schedule and my business empire." The last part made her laugh. "It will mean more work for me, but I can handle it. It's just a matter of making a schedule and sticking to it. This is a good time to start work because I am so far ahead with Legion. If they both come out once a month, then that's doable." As the artist she had it in her contract that she dictated the release schedule, not the publishing house. In the beginning they agreed to twelve issues a year because they didn't want to waste resources on an unknown talent, now they agreed because otherwise she would walk. Having two series by her each month would make them happy. Especially if the new series did as well as the first.

"And." Georgie prodded just a little.

"It also changes your schedule too. Another series means more contracts, more phone calls, more marketing, more everything." Liz said looking at her friend. "So if I do that we are going to need to reorganize. We will need to expand the staff."

"Are you thinking of getting a full time artistic assistant?" Georgie wanted to know. By that she meant someone to possibly draw one series while Liz provided the narrative. Honestly she couldn't see her friend giving up that much control. Liz was far from a diva, but her work was something she was extremely critical over.

"No, I'm thinking of getting an office manager, and promoting you to head of business operations." Liz laid out her plan. "You would be responsible for dealing with marketing, the press, and being my liaison to the outside world. Running that empire I joked about. The office manager would be your assistant, and possibly control the social media angle." In time. They would need to prove they could be trusted first. "Me expanding puts a lot on you in the beginning." It also finally allowed Georgie to use that business degree. "The promotion would of course come with a raise. Non-negotiable." Liz said before her friend could argue.

"Another person means someone else who knows you work under an alias." Georgie gave it some thought. "Unless you are planning on separating our work spaces, and by that I mean two separate locations."

"That is exactly what I'm thinking." Liz nodded her head. "You and the office manager here. Or next door in the business Tower. Me working from my home office in the house Jason and I are going to have built."

"A house?" Georgie just grinned. "That's awesome. What you are thinking could work. It would be weird in the beginning. I'm used to us being together."

"Or I could just drop the ruse and come out from behind the alias." Liz gave voice to their other option. "That would probably be less stressful on the guys." They were waiting for the other shoe to drop in that area. "Then I could just stay here and the empty bedroom can become a third office." She would still work at home from time to time.

"That's another good option." Georgie said giving it some thought. "I'm guessing nothing is going to happen until after the custody issue is settled?"

"Correct. That is priority, but it doesn't hurt to brainstorm now. That way when we move forward we have a solid plan. I'll need to talk to Johnny about possibly issuing a statement to the press."

"Brainstorming is never a bad thing." Georgie thought Liz had already come up with two viable options. The guys would have more, but she was guessing in the end they would go with one of the scenario's Liz had just outlined. Because it was her life.

"Our first official meeting in the new digs went well." Liz said grinning.

"It did." Georgie had to agree. It was nice to have such a laid back boss.

"We should celebrate with some of the brownies I have downstairs. Then we need to get to work. I have some ideas pressing down on my brain." Liz said getting to her feet. She would put everything else aside for now.

* * *

Despite being told to stay in the hotel Lucky decided to take a walk around Port Charles. He wanted to see the place where his dad had grown up. A quick internet search gave him the address of the club his father used to own. It also turned up a story about the fire that claimed the building. There was a gym in the spot now.

The town was bigger than where they currently lived, but it still wasn't that big. He passed a movie theater, several parks, and rib place on his stroll. That last one delivered, and the smell as he passed assured they would order frequently. The docks got a quick inspection, but nothing exciting was happening there.

He had been out for over an hour and should be getting back to the hotel soon, so he would look up the other business he grew up hearing about. Kelly's diner. Another establishment that had at one point been owned by his family, and now was owned by the father of the man who ran Luke out of town. Pulling up the GPS on his phone, Lucky set off again.

"So what we have learned is that Lucky Spencer can't follow directions well." Charles looked over at Kyle who was on stakeout with him.

"That tendency will come in handy when it's time to grab him." Kyle told his friend. They had been keeping him under surveillance all day. A series of the guys had been following Spencer around and then handing him off so that no one person was with him for too long. He never even realized he was being trailed. "Logan said he wasn't surprised that Lucky went for a stroll. Luke is apparently his own biggest fan, and I'm guessing his son is the same way."

"Ego will do you in every single time." Charles said shaking his head as they watched Lucky walk back into the hotel with a bag from Eli's. They would stay here until their relief arrived.

* * *

"I'm heading out." Jason stuck his head in Francis's office. "I'm going to see my grandmother. I don't expect to be gone for too long."

"I sent the picture of Spencer to Cooper." Francis told his boss. "He's going to show it around and see if anyone knows anything. He'll call back as soon as he has something."

Jason nodded before heading to his car. During the drive over he called and checked in with Elizabeth. Not surprisingly he got her voice mail. The head of the crew had called to say everything was moved without issue, so his wife was probably working. Then he called and checked in with Nadine who said all was going well. Jason missed hanging out with Michael and was looking forward to seeing him when he got home.

* * *

"You can go right in." Lila's assistant let him know.

"Hello Grandmother." Jason kissed her check. "How have you been?"

"Wonderful. How was California?" Lila came over to the sitting area.

"I very much enjoyed my time away." Jason assured her. "I'd like to arrange a time for you to visit with Michael."

"I would love that." Lila said smiling. "Elizabeth is still sending me pictures every day, but seeing him in person would be lovely." Jason looked relaxed which she liked seeing. Marriage was agreeing with him. "Are you here about your grandfather?"

"In a roundabout way." Jason let her know. "Claire Walsh has arrived."

"I know, Chloe called and gave me a head's up." Lila smiled at her grandson. "I didn't ask her to come." She could guess what he was thinking.

"We were wondering." Jason admitted with a grin. "Coincidences are rarely that. She and Chloe are close?"

"Extremely." Lila settled in to chat. "Claire actually called Chloe to ask about Edward before she returned his call. Your cousin assured her friend that this wouldn't disrupt their friendship no matter the outcome of the case. Chloe did warn Claire that she was not going to win."

"What was Claire's reaction?" Jason wanted to know.

"Ms. Walsh responded that she knew." Lila said laughing.

"Why take a case she can't win?" Jason found that odd.

"For two reasons. One is the exposure." Lila began explaining. "Losing to Diane will not in any way harm Claire's reputation. Everyone loses to your attorney because she is awesome. Which brings us to reason number two, Claire very much admires Diane. So she gets to meet someone she had only read about. I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't do some networking when the case is done. They are two women at the top of their specialties."

"I was wondering if you were tired of sitting on the sidelines." Jason told her.

Lila just gave him an angelic smile. "What are you going to do with the rest of your day?" It was too early for tea or she'd invite him to stay. She did want to get off the topic of her sitting on the sidelines. If things went well, then what she had done would never come to light. However her phone call was definitely going make things easier for Jason.

"Working until it's time to go home." Jason had more than enough legitimate businesses to keep him busy. "I also have some reading to do. Edward has ordered a background run on Elizabeth."

Lila just shook her head. Hopefully Edward really wasn't going to go there. She could guess which part of Elizabeth's past her husband was interested in. Shining a spotlight on what was done to Sarah Webber could not be allowed to happen. It wasn't fair to Elizabeth or the young woman who had been murdered. "Do you want me to speak to him?"

Jason gave the question some thought. "Let me speak to Elizabeth first. Michael isn't going to remember this time, and what is going on. Which is for the best." Once all this drama was done and Edward was contained Jason wasn't going to dwell on it. He wasn't a winner who gloated. Going after Elizabeth was another matter. His wife would carry any scars inflicted on her for the rest of her life, and that might be enough to make Jason hurt Edward.

"You will do what is necessary to protect your wife." Lila said letting him know she understood what this could all set in motion. For the first time since deciding on this course of action her husband was treading on dangerous waters. She would do what she could, but even Jason's love for her might not be able to save Edward.

"I will." Jason made no apologizes about that. No one was allowed to hurt Elizabeth. "I need to return to my office. I will call you tonight to arrange a visit between you and Michael."

"See if Elizabeth can join us as well." Lila gave him a smile. She was going to need to gather all the grandkids together soon. She wanted time with them.

"She will like that." Jason stood and kissed her soft cheek. "I love you Grandmother." It was something he didn't tell her often enough.

"I love you too my darling." Lila sent him on his way with those words. Alone she went back to her desk and looked at the picture she had of Edward. "Do not be stupid." She told the still image. Hopefully the universe would take that message to her husband. Shaking her head she reached for the telephone, it was time to make another call.

* * *

In his office Edward closed the file he had just been reading and leaned back in his chair. He now had all the information there was to get on the four minority shareholders in AJ's company. Not surprising all were London based, so it was time for a trip overseas. Soon, as he would want to be here for the custody ruling. There would be at least one court date, probably more and Edward wanted a front row seat to Jason's defeat.

The file on Jasper Jacks was still waiting to be read, however there was no rush there. Edward would probably read it on the flight to England. If the Australian was anything like his father then he would be easy to force out of Quartermaine International. The Jacks men liked to back dark horses and that was risky. It would only take a few bad investments to put him in a vulnerable financial position, which Edward could then use to force a sale. Brian needed to dig and find some companies that Jacks wouldn't be able to resist, then pass that file along to their informant. Within a year Edward was hoping to achieve his objective.

There were lots of irons in the fire but none were ready for his full attention just yet. Hopefully Logan would have a file on Elizabeth soon. There would be something in there to help Edward do the last thing on his list. Neutralize Jason. His grandson was going want to revenge once he lost, and Edward didn't underestimate how dangerous the boy could be. But if it came down to getting that vengeance or protecting his wife from public humiliation then Jason would pick the latter. His bride was his biggest weakness.

Many irons to tend and all close to being ready to strike. Leaning forward he reached for the phone. He would tell his assistant to book a suite in London for a week. That should be long enough to handle his business and return him to Port Charles in time for Claire to file her paperwork.

* * *

"Where are you?" Diane asked her client.

"My office." Jason had been reaching for the file Johnny created on Elizabeth when his phone rang.

"Stay there. I'm sending Betsy Chilson over to speak with you." Diane had gotten a call from CPS that the caseworker had a last minute opening in her schedule. The attorney had jumped on that with both feet. "Remember she's on your side."

"How long?" Jason wanted to know.

"She's just waiting for my call." Diane told him. "Call me when you are finished."

"Yes mom." Jason shot back.

"Smartass." Diane replied before hanging up. "He can do this." She said to herself really trying to believe that.

* * *

"Shall I bring you anything back from London?" Edward's secretary had pulled his travel arrangements together quickly and a call to house had luggage packed then delivered to his office. Brian had also been busy setting up meetings for tomorrow and the day after. With any luck by the time Edward landed the last two meetings will have been arranged. Even though he was anxious to get going, leaving town without seeing Lila would not happen.

"I would love a selection of sweets from Mr. Simms." Lila gave her husband a smile and tried not to give into the exasperation he could bring out in her. She knew what the focus of this last minute trip was. "You know my favorites."

"I certainly do." Edward leaned over and gently kissed his wife. "You behave while I'm gone." He was going to be in a lot of trouble when everything he was doing came to light. But his Lila had a kind and forgiving heart, and having her great grandson in the mansion would make her smile. In the end she would see that all this had been for the best.

"I can't promise, but I will do my best." Lila said smiling wider. "Go so that you can come back home to me."

"I'll wrap up my trip as soon as possible." Edward got another kiss and headed to the airport. He had a business to take over and was burning daylight.

* * *

Luke looked at his text messages and read that his son was in Port Charles. No doubt Morgan already had eyes on him, if not then soon enough. If the blonde mobster was anything like Sonny then nothing happened in the harbor town without him knowing about it. That was the main reason Luke had never even attempted to sneak back in. Lucky ended the message by saying he would send a report on what the lawyer said after their meeting.

Now it was time for Luke to put his plan into motion. It would start with a phone call. "Cal."

"Luke." Cal was at home enjoying his siesta. It was a custom he wished they had back in the states. "Are you ready to get started?"

"I am." Luke lit a cigar. "I have a photograph that will help Joe get Steven Webber's attention." He said puffing on the rolled tobacco. "Send someone to pick it up."

"Ten minutes." Cal responded pulling his work phone from his pocket. He sent a message to one of the runners they employed. The young boy would pick up the parcel and take it to Joe.

"How long?" Luke still wasn't in any rush, he just wanted to plan his evening accordingly. He had dinner plans with a lovely young lady.

"I'm guessing before midnight." Cal knew things could go wrong, but Luke sounded confident about the contents of the envelope getting their pigeons attention. Many years of working together made it so Cal didn't doubt Luke.

"Perfect." He said grinning. "I'll need someone monitoring Webber once the conversation is over, until he leaves for the states."

"Should he stay here for a while?" Cal wanted to know.

"For about a week. Give or take a few days." Luke had a timetable for how all this was going to play out.

"We can put him up." Cal had a place they could stash Webber if necessary. "You want eyes on him in New York?"

"Yes, a small crew should be enough. Steven is going to playball. He has too much at stake to do otherwise." Luke had been digging into his target. Steven didn't know squat about the mob or how it worked. That ignorance was going to come in handy. Luke would put the fear of god into him and then send Steven to Port Charles. The payout was as good as in the bank.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	46. Chapter 46

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 46

"Good afternoon Mr. Morgan." Betsy Chilson had been met downstairs by his assistant and brought up to the executive level. Walking in the social worker did an automatic assessment of the space. She noted that the office was decorated in a way that made it feel rather cold, whereas the penthouse was warm and welcoming. It hammered home that this man was two separate people. A visit to the penthouse when the family was home would show who Jason Morgan dad was. Now she wanted to know what the other side of him looked like.

"Ms. Chilson. Please have a seat." He pointed to the couch. "Would you like something to drink?"

"No, thank you." Betsy sat and removed the items she needed for this interview while the assistant left. She noted the young woman didn't close the door. "I'll need to record this conversation, is that okay?"

His instant reaction was to say no. Allowing himself to be recorded was something he never did. No mobster did, but this wasn't about work. This was about Michael. "It's fine. Please send a copy to my attorney."

Betsy nodded as she set up the device. She started by listing the date and time, then she asked Jason to consent to being recorded. "First let me say I'm sorry for your loss."

"Thank you." Jason told himself to relax.

"How is Michael doing?" Betsy's list of questions for a relative adoption was a lot shorter than for a non-relative adoption. For example she wouldn't be asking why the adoption was being pursued. Why they were doing this was clear. She was wondering how much information she would get because he was sitting there stiff as a board.

Jason smiled thinking about his son. "He's good. At the moment he's with his nanny as my wife is working as well."

Betsy noted the immediate thawing that came about when the topic of the family came up. "Is that still Nadine Crowell?"

"Yes. She indicated she was willing to stay and we took her up on the offer." Jason told the social worker.

Betsy hadn't spoken to Nadine but she was on the list of people to contact. "I read the biographical information you submitted. You and your brother had a rough relationship for years, but at the time of his death you were doing better. Your relationship with your parents however is still rocky. Extended family is important. They can provide a support network, so will you be working on that?"

"We are trying." Jason was carefully picking his words. "They have not been accepting of my relationship with my wife, so things are tense." He paused briefly. "The support network you mentioned is already in place. Both my sisters are here, and they will both have a constant presence in my son's life. I also have a large group of people who have been in my life for years and I consider part of my family."

Betsy was kind of amazed he was saying so much. She read transcripts from three separate court cases. The last one she read he'd been on the stand for four days under cross examination and said three words that were not invocations of his right to not incriminate himself. "Tell me about the relationship you have with your wife. The marriage was sudden."

"No, it wasn't." Jason had to be careful here. "We've been building our relationship for years. First as friends, and then as something more." He was pulling up what Diane said and adapting it to his language. "Once we decided to get married we saw no reason to wait."

"The wedding was planned before Michael's arrival?" Betsy wanted to know. The relationship between husband and wife was one of the key components that she would base her recommendation to the judge on.

"No. We got engaged after his arrival, and the ceremony was shortly after that." Jason let her know.

He was tensing again, but she got the impression that it had more to do with being forced to answer questions than about lying. Part of her job was reading people. She could spot a liar, and he was telling the truth. "Why rush?"

"Because my brother was alive one day, and dead the next." Jason said being blunt. "Life doesn't hand you guarantees and when you know something is right you know. Having been in other relationships I knew instantly that what I have with Elizabeth is special. We've been together for years. There was no need to wait any longer."

"So you didn't get married to look good for my agency?" Betsy pushed a little.

"I don't care what you think of me." Jason said being brutally honest. "I just want what is best for my son and my wife. A fake marriage doesn't do anything but harm them both."

"They're important to you." Betsy had to stop herself from smiling. Even though he was clearly irritated by her presence, he was nailing this interview. That was all she cared about.

"They are everything." Jason said looking her square in the eye.

Betsy leaned over and turned off the recorder. "Okay."

"Okay?" Jason asked confused.

"That's all I need." Betsy said smiling.

"Really?" Jason frowned at her. His experience with public officials was that they simply didn't stop asking you questions. They tended to like badgering him.

"Really. I explained to Ms. Miller, and I'm sure she passed this along, we're on the same side here. I wanted to get an impression of how you feel about being a father, and a look into your marriage." She would get a better view of that relationship when she talked to them together.

"I thought you were going to pry into all the aspects of my life." Jason told the older woman.

"If you decide to adopt a child that you aren't related to, I'll be all over you. Your brother wants you to have his son. So do I." Betsy began packing up her things. "You aren't getting special treatment. I care more about Michael being safe that I care about bruising your ego." The fact that he loved his nephew was right there to see. With everything away she stood up. "I'll send Ms. Miller a copy of the interview. I'll also send her an assessment. You can use that to improve in the areas I deem you to be weak so that the judge finds you favorable." If the judge decided to talk to them. That wasn't always the case. CPS did all this work so that the judge had enough information to make a decision.

Jason stood as well. "I'll have my assistant walk you out."

"Thank you." Betsy said leaving the work space behind. Now she was going to be sneaky. It was only a little unfair but she had a suspicion everything was going to turn out fine.

Jason closed his office door as he reached for his cell phone. "We're done."

"Already?" Diane found that to be surprising.

"Ms. Chilson said she was on my side and that she didn't need to ask me a lot of questions because of AJ's request." Jason paused for a moment. "I got the impression the interview was deliberately short." He couldn't put his finger on why he felt that way though.

Diane gave it some thought before grinning. The social worker had stopped when she had all she needed to make Jason look good. "Did you glare at her?"

"She didn't look afraid, so I'm going to go with no." Jason was scowling now though. His lawyer just liked messing with him. "When is she going to talk to everyone else?"

"I don't have any more interviews scheduled at the moment. Honestly I'm not too concerned with anyone else I put forward." She left him know. "Did she record the conversation?"

"Yes. I told her to send you a copy." Jason said sitting behind his desk and pulling over the file they created on Elizabeth.

"I will look for the parcel." Diane would read it carefully. She was guessing there would also be an assessment of some type inside. Going through this process she realized that adopting a child they weren't related too would be damn near impossible for Jason and Liz within the United States. Which was sad because they both had a lot of love to give.

"I have work to do." Jason told her. "Mainly so I can pay your rates."

"I'm worth every dime." Diane said laughing.

"Yeah. You are." Jason had to agree. "Bye." He said before hanging up. He opened the file when his phone rang. "Seriously?" All he wanted to do was read what Johnny had put together. "Yes." He told himself not to snap at Angie. Having been in the doghouse with his assistant before he didn't want to go back. The woman could hold a serious grudge. She also had expensive taste.

* * *

"O'Brien is here." Like the crew Angie generally referred to everyone by their last names.

"It's fine." Jason might just end up asking his friend what he had put together. "What's up?"

"You read it yet?" Johnny pointed to the file.

"No. I keep getting interrupted." Jason told his friend.

"I have more reading material for you." He said taking a seat and placing a second file on the desk. The guys had been brainstorming since Jason and Liz left for their honeymoon.

Jason opened it and scanned the first page. "You created a bio for M.O. Gene." Based on the thickness of the file it was detailed.

"Yup. If anyone digs they will find this. Assuming we get Liz's okay on what we created." Johnny said with a grin. "It would be best if her alias never came to light. Stan said with a few hacker tricks he can make sure no one makes the connection. It all starts with make M.O. Gene real. Or imaginarily real."

"People are the weak link in this chain. You can't guarantee that someone won't talk." Jason pointed out.

"The only people outside of Port Charles who know are Liz's parents, Brenda, and Felix. Stan took a walk through Felix's files. Liz's name is never mentioned once in his database. Not even as a prospective client. He doesn't even receive checks for her. Brenda is a pain, but she won't talk. Liz's parents won't talk after what happened to their other daughter. That left us with two points of overlap between Liz and her alias that might be an issue. Diane and the Abrahms brothers."

"Because of her social security number." Jason saw what the problem was. "How did Stan deal with that?"

"First he did a lot of swearing. A lot." Johnny was laughing. "Diane was the easy part. Because you and Liz are so close it just makes sense that you would have recommended Diane handle any legal issues that might crop up. So the fact that Liz has had Diane on retainer for years isn't a big deal. The accounting stuff was a lot harder." The IRS was not an agency they wanted to piss off. No mobster had ever beat them, and if they audited Liz they would have the right to look at anything she owned with Jason. Right now that wasn't anything, but as time went forward that was going to change.

"But he found a way around it?" Jason looked at his friend.

"No. The Abrahams brothers had the solution." Johnny had a lot of respect for their accountants. They were incredibly good at their jobs. "They've had it all along. Which makes sense, otherwise the secret would have leaked by now. They have a separate document in their electronic files for M.O. Gene, complete with a fake social security number. Stan used that as a starting point to create the bio."

"What about the files at the publishing house? How do they handle paying her?" Jason didn't think that his guys missed a step, he was just curious.

"Felix handled that long before we came into the picture. The publishers think Liz's alias is a real person. He was the one that created the social security number." Which meant Felix now had Johnny's respect as well. "The final step in this plan is Stan's, he'll have to explain it to you because I got lost about half way through. He's got a computer with Liz's name, and her alias flagged. Every time they are searched he will know. It's the only thing that computer does. If one person is doing too many searches we get an alert."

"You want her to stay hidden." Jason leaned back in his chair. That's what all this meant.

"From now until the end of time. I was talking to Francis. It's just easier if no one figures the secret out. I'd rather put in all this work now, then to try and stop lunatic fans." Johnny didn't have to explain why, but he did share what prompted the order. "What you told us happened to Sarah Webber gave me nightmares. People like that asshole that killed her, and then killed himself, don't stop. Ever. Any number of web searches will show you that. Sarah had one obsessive fan. M.O. Gene has a hell of lot more than that."

Jason got what was unsaid. No security was one hundred percent effective. Even the plan they had now wasn't perfect, almost yes, but not quite. Taking the offensive was easier and smarter than sitting back and waiting for something to happen. "It's her call."

"I'm aware of that." Johnny nodded his head. "Francis and I are around if she wants to talk about it." If she said let the cat out of the bag then they had no choice but to respect that.

"Thank you for all the work." Jason appreciated it.

"She's family." Johnny said with a wide grin. "I need her to stay safe so I know what happens in the story." He pointed to the first file he gave Jason. "The report on Liz is kept as close to the truth as we could get. Edward already knows about Sarah so we left all that information in. We fudged info on the brother, but not much."

"I'll give both of these Elizabeth tonight." Jason promised. "I'll let her know you are waiting for an answer."

"Sounds good. Okay I gotta go do stuff." Johnny said before walking out.

Alone Jason picked up the file on M.O. Gene and started reading.

* * *

"Mrs. M." Gary was on the door today and called up to the office. "There is a Mrs. Chilson here to see you." He had not been aware that a visitor was coming.

Liz was in her office working on what would be the first issue of her new series. It was going well, which wasn't that surprising because she'd had plenty of time to work out any problems. She had learned so much working on Legion, and this series was going to benefit from that knowledge like the later issues of her first series now did. She was coming from the bathroom which was why she heard her phone ring. "I'll be right down."

She stuck her head in Georgie's office to let her assistant know what was going on, and then sent a text to both Jason and Diane while jogging down the stairs. "Hello." Liz said after opening the door. "I'm Elizabeth."

"Hello. Betsy Chilson." She said shaking the extended hand.

"Please, come in." Liz said stepping back.

Betsy noted that just like in Jason's office the door was left partially open. "Thank you."

"Have a seat. Can I get you something to drink? At the moment we have water and coffee. My assistant and I just moved into the penthouse today." Liz explained to her unexpected guest. She wondered if Jason, Diane, or both were going to show up at some point.

"I'm fine thank you." Betsy was wondering if this interview would get completed before someone showed up. "I was hoping you had time to speak with me."

"Absolutely." Liz smiled and took a seat. "About Michael?"

"Yes, and you." Betsy got out her recorder. "May I tape you?"

Liz nodded understanding she would have to say yes once they officially started. "Would you send a copy to Diane Miller please?"

"I certainly will." Betsy started the same as she did with Jason. "I'm sorry for the loss of your friend. I understand that you and Caroline Quartermaine were close."

"We were. Thank you." Liz was mentally reviewing the pep talk Diane had given them. "To say the news was shocking would be an understatement. I still find myself thinking that I'm due to call her." Liz's voice trailed off.

"I'm sure becoming a godmother was a bigger shock." Betsy said moving them onto Michael. The fact that no one in the family knew about the baby had been leaked to the press, so that wasn't a secret. She suspected it had been done by Edward in case Jason tried to say otherwise.

"Yes and no." Liz paused to pull up her words. "They are two very different experiences. I am thrilled to be a mom." She smiled wide. "Not how or when I saw it happening, but I'm overjoyed. At the same time I'm still grieving for my friends. I wasn't shocked to be named Michael's godmother because I already told Carly I would fill that role. So I knew if something happened I would be called on to take care of that child, or children. I was honored that they would even ask. I was shocked to hear that my friends were gone. Nothing ever prepares you for news like that." She said looking into Mrs. Chilson's eyes.

"At what point did you talk about becoming the baby's godmother?" Betsy was now wondering about the newspaper story.

"She would have been around two months pregnant at the time." Liz made sure to never say Carly admitted to being pregnant. Her statement was going to be one that Jason could confirm without having to lie. "It was around the same time my husband talked to his brother." Phone records would confirm that she and Carly talked almost every other week up until the time of her death, sometimes more often. Her records would be bolstered by Carly's.

Betsy digested that tidbit. Like her husband Elizabeth Morgan was being open and honest during this interview. The fact that Liz and Jason were aware of Michael before the rest of the family spoke volumes. It spoke of trust that the deceased couple were not extending to everyone else. That only made the Morgans adoption request stronger. "Congratulations on the marriage. It seemed sudden." She wanted to see what Elizabeth's reply was versus Jason's.

"Not even close." Liz said laughing. "It took me a lot longer to run him to ground than it looked. He was worth it though. I don't regret the time we took to ourselves to make our relationship strong and solid. Jason is just an amazing man." She said letting her love for him color her words. "Our private life is just that private. We wanted to protect what we were building. So we only let the people we trusted the most in." She was smiling once again. "From time to time we'll be in the paper, like the wedding, but that isn't what we want on a regular basis. Jason and I have been involved for years. We've had one another's hearts for longer than you know. Marriage was the natural progression of our relationship."

"Did Michael's arrival rock the boat in anyway?" Betsy was looking for cracks in the relationship.

"It rocked the boat in every way." Liz said being honest. "A child changes everything. Add to that this was not a child we were expecting to raise and you get a tidal wave that turns into a tsunami. Neither one of us has any experience with babies." She said shrugging. "But we have a strong relationship with each other, and that translated into us holding tighter to one another. We are creating a relationship as parents as well as husband and wife. Thankfully in the first department we have help. Our nanny is awesome."

"Life turns on a dime." Betsy said paraphrasing Jason.

"It certainly does. That goes both ways though. It doesn't always need to be a bad thing." Liz let her naturally optimistic personality shine through. "However when it is a bad thing it's good to know you aren't alone. That you don't have to deal with whatever the issue is on your own. I have that with Jason. I've had it for years."

Betsy saw a strong and confident young woman sitting in front of her. She had been correct in that Elizabeth Morgan, nee Webber, was going to be the darling of any judge who spoke with her. She loved her husband, and her son, and she had no problem letting you see that. "You don't have family close."

"I'm surrounded by family." Liz corrected her. "It's just not biological family."

"Fair enough." Betsy said trying not to smile. Elizabeth was a rock star. "Are you close with your parents?" She wasn't going to mention the letter.

"Yes. I'm sure you did a background run on me, so you know about my sister. That tragedy pulled us closer. I learned a very hard lesson about nothing being promised." Liz told the social worker. "I try to see my parents as often as I can. I fly to Germany because being in the states is hard for my mother. We do however talk on the phone regularly. They are excited to be grandparents."

"And your relationship with your brother. He's had some struggles." Betsy did not get a letter from him. That didn't reflect poorly on Elizabeth, but the agency liked to have as much information as possible on their presumptive adoptive parents.

"He has. My sister's death was harder for him to process. He's been sober for some time now, and is doing so much better. I try to always be there for him. I'm really proud of how far he's come, and I'm looking forward to him meeting his nephew. He's out of the country but when he returns I can ask him to contact you if that would be helpful."

"That's not necessary." Betsy let Elizabeth know. The transcript would show that she was cooperating. Another point in her favor.

"While you're here would you like to meet Michael? He's right next door with Nadine." Liz pointed to the door.

"I'll save that for another time." Betsy said ending the recording. "I have enough for today. I'll call and arrange a time to talk with you and Jason together, I can meet Michael then."

"Alright." Liz stood when her guest did. "You have all our numbers."

"That I do. Thank you for speaking with me." Betsy was seeing this case as a slam dunk.

"Anytime." Liz said smiling. She closed the door and pulled out her phone. "I'm done."

"How did it go?" Diane was in Jason's office. She had come over to keep him from leaving. Him going off on Betsy Chilson would not be good. The social worker had played them good.

"Great. She'll send you a copy of the transcript. Tell Jason to come home, he can work from his office that will help him to calm down." She was grinning.

"Will do." Diane hung up the phone. "Don't ever divorce Liz." The attorney said grinning. "She said to go home and work from there. I'll drop you off."

Jason gathered his things. He would check on his wife before doing anything else.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	47. Chapter 47

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

Not Safe For Work

* * *

Chapter 47

"Good evening Mrs. M." Liam greeted his boss's wife. Jason sudden marriage had shocked some of the guys lower down, but apparently the senior crew had known he was done for a while now. The guard had to say that his boss had excellent taste.

"Hi Liam. Is Nadine still here?" Liz wanted to know.

"No ma'am. Both Ms. Crowell, and Milo left for the evening." Liam also thought that Renaldo was a lucky bastard. And fast. He had the nanny's attention before anyone else even got a shot. Then of course there was Georgie, another stunning woman. Liam was hoping by the time he got to the senior crew Mrs. M might need more help of some sort.

"Thanks. Have a good night." Liz said letting herself into penthouse two. A slow smile came to her face as she quietly shut the door. Jason was stretched out on the couch with Michael sleeping on his chest. It was too cute so she took out her phone and snapped a picture. Lila needed to see this.

Walking over she squatted next to the couch. Despite his eyes being closed she knew he wasn't asleep. "Hi."

Jason turned his head as he opened his eyes. "Hi. How was your day?"

"Interesting." Liz said with a grin. She had been here giving Michael a bottle when Jason arrived from the warehouse. Seeing them together had instantly calmed her husband down. He sat on the couch and explained that Betsy Chilson didn't say she was coming to the Towers. Liz saying that the guards called and she let the social worker in relaxed him further. The security had worked the way it should, and leaving the door open during the interview meant the guard could get inside penthouse four if necessary. "I started a new graphic novel series."

"Yeah?" Jason was so proud of the work she did. "What's it called?"

"Federation One. At least for now. Legion went through about a dozen titles before we decided on that one." Liz admitted while laughing.

"Who is we?" Jason was still learning about her business. While they talked he was rubbing Michael's back and the little guy was smiling in his sleep.

"Felix and I." Liz told him. "We sat in his living room with a list I created going through all the contenders. We came up with every criticism we could for the titles I selected. The only one we couldn't rip to shreds was Legion. Felix liked it because it was mysterious. It could mean any number of things from a military book to the supernatural. I liked it because it was short. I have to write on every single issue. I didn't want something with seven words in it."

"Why didn't you ask Brenda to help?" Jason wanted to know. While he did agree with Johnny about the model not talking, normally, people told their spouses things. So he wanted to see if his wife trusted that Brenda could keep her mouth shut.

"Because it was a business decision. My alias was personal. I have to live in that skin, so to speak. I don't think anyone else could have helped me with that. I don't involve Brenda in business decisions. Like she generally doesn't involve me in her business. Deception only blurs the line a little. I'm not sticking my nose in Skye's business, but I'll more than likely go to some photo shoots if they are here. I've never been to one before and I could learn something new." She ran her hands over Michael's soft hair.

"Is it too soon to talk about the new series?" Jason respected when she said she wasn't ready to discuss her work.

"Yes." Liz nodded. "Let me finish the first few panels to make sure I'm happy with it. The beginning has to be correct because it sets the tone for everything that follows. I need to find the hook that allows me to pull the reader in and keeps them coming back."

"This one will be a success like your first one." Jason believed in her.

She leaned forward and gave him a soft kiss. "Thank you. How come you guys are napping here?"

"We were waiting for you." Jason hadn't slept, but just enjoyed having the little boy close. "I read that the sound of a heartbeat is soothing."

She leaned forward to kiss him again. "Can I have the baby?" She had waited long enough.

"Throwing me over for our son, you don't even have any shame about that do you?" He asked as she scooped the soft child up.

"Nope." Liz said placing him on her shoulder and rubbing his back.

Jason sat up and smiled at how the two of them looked. "It's my turn to cook dinner anyway, so I should get started. You two can keep me company."

"How did Nadine feel hanging out with Milo?" Liz asked watching as Jason put on his sneakers. "Does she feel comfortable with him?"

"She said it was all good. Lee is on the door when she's here and joins them if they go out." Jason wasn't sure she knew that. When Elizabeth came over, just before his arrival, Mitch was on duty because Lee was at lunch. "I was wondering if on days I can make it over, could we have lunch together. You, me, and the kid. Even if he's sleeping he can sit with us."

"I like that sound of that. I set my own hours so even if your lunch is late we can make it work." Seeing him in the middle of the day would be wonderful. "I think Michael likes that idea too."

"Is that right?" Jason asked getting down a pan.

"He doesn't say much, but I can still tell." Liz was walking back and forth in front of the island. This was nice, the three of them unwinding from the day.

"Good to know. I took out chicken breasts and I was planning on make a stir fry. Sound good?"

"Sounds great." Liz would clean up since he cooked and they the three of them could relax until it was Michael's bath time.

"After dinner I have some files for you. From Johnny." Jason could see she was curious, but right now all she did was nod.

* * *

The cloth bag that was over his head got yanked off and the sudden brightness had Steven blinking. Focusing took a few minutes but when he was finally able to see he was surprised to find himself in an office. He thought for sure he was going to be in a cinderblock room in the basement of someone's house.

"Have a seat Steven." Luke pointed to the chair across from him. "Drink?"

"No." Steven shook his head getting his second surprise of the early morning. The man who had him kidnapped was American. Or at the very least working with an American.

This all started when he finished his shift at the ambulance company. He was in the small locker room getting changed. His shirt was unbuttoned when he opened his assigned storage unit to find an envelope sitting on top of his neatly folded clothing. Reaching for it immediately didn't happen because he'd heard story of things like this, so he wanted to put off the moment he came to the realization that staying in Mexico couldn't happen.

What he was expecting was to open the envelope and find a job offer that would be deadly to refuse. The Cartels were always looking for people to run drugs across the border. American ex-pats were among their favorites to use. Becoming a mule was not something he had any interest in. Once you started down that path you never got free.

So he got changed before ripping the parcel open. Pretending that he hadn't ever gotten it wasn't an option either. For a brief moment he considered it anyway. Thinking that going home and facing Karpov might be the better of the two options, then he remembered that even the drug cartels feared the Russian mob.

There wasn't an offer to run drugs in the envelope. Instead there had been a smiling picture of his sister. The first thought he had was that her hair was longer. It came past her shoulder. The second was that she looked happier than he'd ever seen. The third was that this picture was a threat. One he would do anything to keep from coming about.

On the back, in neat lettering, were instructions. A park not too far from here was the rendezvous point. He knew the statue he needed to stand beside. He had to be there in fifteen minutes. Someone would come meet him and take him to another person who could explain exactly what all this was about.

He showed up and promptly had a bag thrown over his head by someone who approached him from behind. He was hustled into a car, the trunk, and taken for a drive. The fact that this all took place in a public park that had people walking around despite the late hour wasn't at all surprising. The police would help a tourist find a lost item, but turn a blind eye to anything else.

"Smoke?" Luke offered lighting up a cigar.

"No, thank you." Steven said shaking his head as well. He wanted to demand answers but was worried that they already had eyes on Liz. Him acting out could be bad for her.

"No need to dawdle." Luke grinned and puffed the cigar. "I like that. You owe quite a large sum of money to Andre Karpov." Luke was not going to mention that he now owned that marker. The Russian's name would cause instant fear. "Payment needs to be made."

"I don't have the money, but I'll get it. Just leave my sister alone." Steven had never mentioned Liz, but he should have realized they would find out about her.

"Actually Steven, that pretty little sister of yours is going to be how you pay off your debt." Luke said taking a moment to enjoy the fear in Steven's eyes. "She recently became a mom."

Steven began to think this nightmare was going to end quickly. "My sister didn't have a baby. She would have told me."

"No she didn't have a baby, she was given one. Her friends recently died in a car accident, and they left their child in the care of your sister and her new husband." Luke began explaining. The look on his prisoner's face had him pausing. "You didn't know she got married?" He started to wonder if Karpov got the fact that the siblings were close wrong.

"I changed phones." Steven told his captor. "But I keep the same voicemail so my sister can always reach me."

"There's a phone." Luke pointed to the desk. "Check your messages. I'll wait."

Steven dialed the number to his voicemail box and entered the code. Sure enough there were messages from Liz. Explaining about the wedding, and the baby. He closed his eyes and listened to her voice fluctuate between sadness at her loss, to joy at the baby. He hung up and looked at the older man who was filling the room with smoke.

"Karpov wants that baby. You, Steven, are going to go to Port Charles and get him." Luke explained the plan.

"I'm not taking my sister's child." Steven would take whatever punishment they decided to dish out.

"Yes, you are. Look at it this way, it's not her biological child. Okay technically the child is related to her new husband but that's splitting hairs. All you need to do is go pick him up, and deliver him to me. If you don't then your sister is going to pay off your debt. Eyes that shade of blue will mean Karpov can charge a lot of money for her on the open market." Luke made sure there was no doubt about what would happen to her.

"I doubt her husband is just going to let me walk off with the child." Steven pointed out.

"Jason Morgan is no match for Karpov. I'm sure you will hear all kinds of stories about Morgan when you get to Port Charles, but you need to remember what I'm telling you. He's a big fish in a small pond." Luke said lying between his teeth. "Karpov can sell your sister. He can also send her back to you in pieces, or you can keep her safe by bringing me the baby. I don't care how you do it, but find a way." Luke leaned back in your chair. "If it makes you feel better, Karpov will return the child unharmed once the ransom is paid. Then we can all walk away happy." Or he could, Morgan would erase Steven from the planet.

"I told my sister I was leaving the country for a while." Steven was trying to think about how to get out of this mess. One that was bigger than he ever even considered.

"I understand you've been through rehab. Which means you were an addict. That means you spent a lot of time lying. To yourself and to everyone else in your life. Call upon those skills and figure out how to sell this story. There are going to be eyes on you Steven, and if you try anything your sister pays." Luke leaned forward in his chair. "Are you understanding the situation?"

"Yeah." Steven was sweating because he wasn't seeing a way out that didn't involve snatching the baby. Liz could not be hurt because of him. Honestly since the child wasn't biologically his sister's that would make this much easier to do. He wasn't hurting his nephew. Michael wasn't really his sister's child. He started talking himself into pulling the job and pushing down the voice in his head that was screaming that this was all kinds of wrong.

"Good boy." Luke was having no problem reading the kid in front of him. "In the morning you'll call the states and tell your sister you miss her. Ask to come visit. Tell her you are thinking of relocating to Port Charles because you want to be close to family. Tell her you want to meet the baby, and to celebrate her new marriage. Tell her whatever you have to, I'm sure that the words you need will pop into your brain." He said coaching his newest crew member.

"When do I need to leave?" Steven wasn't asking because he wanted to serve notice. He wanted the timeline for the job. He wanted to know how long he had to figure something out.

"Next week. I want the kid no later than two weeks after that." Luke wasn't in the mood to wait.

"I've never done anything like this before." Steven said shocked at the short time he was being given. "I can't plan and execute a kidnapping in two weeks."

"I can snatch your sister in a day. Please don't make me have to prove that to you." Luke watched Steven swallow hard. The time line was so short because ideally the snatch needed to happen before custody was decided. Right now Morgan was playing the game and giving CPS access to the kid, once he was named the legal father that opening was going to disappear. Now was when security would be at its weakest. Which meant they needed to strike soon. If they missed the window the plan could still work, it would just be harder.

According to the text from Lucky, the paperwork from Edward's lawyer was getting filed in about ten days. Steven needed to be in place before that. Maybe he could take advantage of the fact that Morgan was going to be pissed at what his grandfather was trying to pull. No doubt Elizabeth would be somewhat distracted too. "The kid has a nanny. She might be a good way in. She's not bad looking, if you like blondes."

Steven was only wiling to add so many sins to his plate. He wasn't stringing anyone along. He was going to find a way to get out of this mess. He could take the baby and then work with the authorities to get him back. Even if he had to do it from behind prison bars. "Morgan has the money to pay?"

"We wouldn't be doing all this if he didn't. Karpov is willing to provide you with a new identity because the baby's family has a long reach." Luke lied through his teeth.

Steven nodded indicating that he was in. "Can I go now?"

"Absolutely not." Luke said smiling wide. "You're going to be my guest until it's time for you to return to the states. I want to make sure you don't get any ideas about double crosses, or trying to warn your sister."

"I won't risk her life." Steven said realizing he already had.

"She'll thank you for that." Luke assured his pawn. "Have a good night."

Cal nodded and one of their employees pulled Steven from the room. "Who do you want to go with him?"

"Cabrera." Luke had the name ready to go. "In fact you can send him now. So he is there when Webber arrives, the rest of the team can go later. I don't want Steven to know who is watching him. Have your guy send a few pictures of the sister after Steven is settled, that way he knows we are serious."

"You think Webber can pull it off?" Cal wanted to know.

"Yeah, the look in his eye said he'll get the job done." Luke was going to win either way. He was already fifteen million up having taken the advance that Edward Quartermaine put down. The payday from this kidnapping was going to be three times that amount. And Luke wouldn't need to split it with anyone.

* * *

Michael fussing woke them up. Going from sleep to wide awake was normal for Jason, it was odd for Elizabeth. However since becoming a mom that had changed. It was something that she had read about in her baby books and she was now experiencing in real life.

They walked in the nursery to find their son on his back crying. "Is he warm?" Jason asked while holding him.

"No. Is he hungry?" Liz was going down the list of things that might make the baby fussy. This was the first time he'd woken up in the middle night, which made them really lucky.

"He doesn't seem to be." Jason was rocking the little boy. He was going through a growth spurt and they had already added another feeding, but Nadine said the number of bottles he needed might increase again. "Maybe he's wet." Jason suggested taking him over to the changing table. "Thanks." He said when Elizabeth handed him a clean diaper.

"You're getting pretty fast at that." Liz said grinning.

"Self-defense." He said chuckling. With the dry diaper in place and the sleeper closed again the little guy relaxed. "I guess it makes sense if we add another bottle we will need another diaper change."

"Sorry kiddo." Liz said kissing Michael's forehead. "We are still learning. How about a story." She walked over and grabbed a book. "Then it's back to bed for you."

"How does that sound? I think he likes that idea." Jason handed the baby to Elizabeth who was sitting in the glider. Seeing them together just made him smile. Half way through the story Michael was once again resting comfortably. Jason watched Elizabeth get their son settled in his crib. "Did you heart jump into your throat when he started crying? Or was it just me?"

"It wasn't just you." Liz let him know as they returned to their room. "I'm sure this will not be the only midnight, or post-midnight trip into the nursery." She amended looking at the clock. "We won't panic as we get more experience, I doubt they will ever be something we look forward to." Manly because those trips would mean something was wrong.

"Teething alone will probably mean many trips to his room." Jason lifted the blanket so she could get under the covers.

"I'm not sleepy anymore." Liz looked over at her husband with a small smile. "All that adrenaline has left me with excess energy. I guess I could go downstairs and watch television."

"Or you could stay right here." Jason let his voice drop to a husky whisper. "I'm sure I can help you work that energy off so that you can sleep."

"Is that right?" Liz asked feeling her body flush. The man just made her hot. This wasn't going to be a long session of love making which was fine. She was feeling greedy. "Show me."

Jason brought his mouth to hers as he urged her down to the mattress. He was pushing her nightgown up while she was pushing down his sleep pants. Which let him know that they were on the same wavelength. She always seemed to need just what he did, which he chalked up to the connection they shared. Her underwear went next as her hand wrapped around his shaft and stroked pulling a moan from him. "Put me inside you." He commanded.

With her eyes on his she followed the order and when he thrust forward filling her up she hissed in pleasure. "Fast." She said already moving her hips to entice him to follow.

"Yeah." Jason put his hands on her hips to pull her body tighter into his and pumped hard. His fingers were digging into her hips and he was going to leave bruises but slowing down wasn't going to happen. Especially not when she put her feet on the mattress so she could push back just as hard. She went over first and he let himself follow. Done he slumped to the bed next to her breathing hard.

With a contented sighed Liz rolled over to cuddle close. When he arm came around her she scooted even closer. "That was perfect."

"It was." Jason figured they were both going to sleep well for the rest of night. "We should get up early so we can do that again."

"You are on." Liz said before closing her eyes and letting sleep claim her.

Beside her Jason did the same.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	48. Chapter 48

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 48

Liz was sitting at her drafting table looking over the panel she had just finished creating. This would be page eight of the first issue of the new series. Something on this page was wrong. The problem was that she didn't know what it was. You would think as the creator of the artwork in question she would know what needed correcting. Nope. It didn't work that way. What she was going to have to do was go back to the beginning and read each panel. By the time she got to her current images the problem would be clear.

"First I'm going to get something to drink." Liz said to herself getting up from her stool. Down in the kitchen she found Georgie making herself a cup of coffee. "Great minds do think alike." Liz said reaching for her tea tin.

"I needed to take a break. Sometimes people really work my nerves." Georgie said rolling her eyes.

"Who this time?" Liz asked as she turned on the kettle.

"The publishing company has a new head of public relations." Georgie said getting out all the fixings they would need. "We started out with a discussion on how your social media presence isn't big enough. Apparently you need to be on all the platforms. Then she mentioned a book tour, which isn't going to happen. We finished with meet and greets. She is determined that M.O. Gene is going to appear at Comic Con in San Diego this year. I said no more times to her then I did to my last boyfriend." Georgie emphasized her annoyance by rolling her eyes.

Liz cleared her throat to keep from laughing. "Did you refer her to Felix?"

"Nope. This is the third version of her I've had to deal with." Georgie had come a long way since the first time she had to deal with pushy publishing house folks. After that conversation she had been shaking, today she was just annoyed. "I simply reminded her that your contract is up next year, and that we were the ones who would be making demands. I then informed her that one of those demands would be that she never call the office again. I was greeted with a lot of silence."

"Make sure you send an email to Felix, so he brings that up when he talks to them." Liz said completely serious. She didn't like for Georgie to be irritated.

"Can you talk Jason into starting his own publishing company, or buying this one?" Georgie wanted to know.

"I could ask, but I'm guessing that he wouldn't want to be my boss." Liz said shrugging. Her tea was done steeping and she fixed it to her liking. "Before you ask, I have no interest in owning the publishing firm either. Although if I did, I could have you run it." Liz leaned against the island and sipped her drink. "Something to think about. Not that the company is for sale." Or at least not that she knew.

"I would kill someone." Georgie started grinning. "Milo can tell me how to go about that."

"What makes you think he would know?" Liz asked totally innocent. They often joked about what the guys allegedly did when it was just the two of them.

"Just a hunch." Georgie said laughing. "How's it going upstairs?" She was surprised to see her boss away from the drafting table.

"Screeching halt." Liz told her friend. "I need to do a read through." If that didn't work, she would put it aside for a day and then come back to it. Right now it was too early to let anyone else read it, so finding the flaw was on her.

"You'll figure it out." Georgie said grabbing the snack tin. "I got chocolate chip cookies from the bakery." Writer's block called for chocolate.

Before she could even bite into her snack, Liz's cell phone rang. She didn't recognize the number. "Hello?"

"Liz." Steven kept his voice steady despite being afraid. A large man who was pointing a gun directly at him was sitting next to his kidnapper.

"Steven!" Liz put her cookie down, and nodded at Georgie who pointed to the doorway before walking out. "Hi. I have news to share."

"I know." Steven tried to ignore how happy she sounded, it would just make the guilt worse. "Sorry I didn't check in before now. I lost my cellphone and the ones available were expensive pieces of crap. I had to wait until I found something worth the money."

"Understandable. Prices in touristy locations are always jacked up. I'm glad you called though. I was starting to worry." When your sister called to say she got married and was adopting a baby it usually warranted an immediate return call.

"Sorry about that. I've got some good news though. Or at least I think its good news." Steven said getting to the point of the call. "I was thinking of coming to New York."

"That would be great!" Liz's smile got wider. "What about your job?" He was on vacation now, and she didn't want him getting trouble to come visit her.

"Don't yell at me, okay?" Steven said getting ready to tell the second of what would be many lies.

"Okay." Liz said slowly.

"I didn't actually go on vacation. I quit my job before going away with my friend." Steven began weaving his tale.

"Is everything alright?" Liz wasn't expecting to hear that.

"I've been lonely." Steven had written out what he wanted to say last night in the small room he was locked in. "I haven't been happy in Kentucky for a while now. You know what that can lead to." He said relying on his past to help sell the story. "Going away with my friend made the feelings worse. We were surrounded by his family, and it made me miss you more."

"I miss you too." Liz was so proud of her brother. It showed how far he had come that he recognized warning signs. "I would love to have you up here. We have three big hospitals so you could get a job if you want to stay. There are also hospitals in the cities close by if you feel staying in Port Charles isn't right for you." Buffalo and Rochester were both short drives.

"Trying to get rid of me already?" He asked her smiling. Despite the circumstances he was looking forward to seeing his sister.

"Bite your tongue!" She mock scolded him. "In fact to prove that I want you here, by the time you arrive there will be an apartment waiting for you."

"You don't need to do that Liz. I have money in the bank, so I can get a place of my own." Steven looked over wondering what the guys holding him would think of that but the older man was smiling. The phone was plugged into a speaker and he was listening to Liz's end of the talk.

"Don't bother to argue Steven. You are staying here, at least until you get a job." Liz was going to try to get him stay period. She knew that Jason wouldn't mind. "When can I expect you?"

"I have to go back to Kentucky and pack up. So about a week. Give or take a day possibly two." Steven watched as Luke nodded. "I can't wait to meet my new brother in-law and nephew."

"I think you will like Jason. He's kind of quiet though, so don't take that personally. Michael is just the cutest thing ever." Liz gushed over her guys.

"I'm sorry about the loss of your friends." Steven wasn't comfortable talking about the baby, so he moved to a related topic.

"I miss Carly, but I'm doing better. Having Jason and Michael has helped tremendously. Having you here will help even more." Liz didn't want to weigh her brother down. They would probably talk more about her friends once he was here. She was really hoping he stayed, and that with him in New York she might be able to get her folks to visit.

"I'll get up there as fast as I can." Steven let her know. "I still have to get back into the states."

"Enjoy the rest of your trip first." Liz would try to wait patiently for his arrival. "It will give me time to get everything set up for you."

"I don't need much. It's just me." Steven let her know. Besides he was really hoping he wouldn't even be using it for long.

"You are not going to interrupt my plans to spoil you." Liz let him know. She wouldn't go overboard, but she was going to make it clear that he could stay if he wanted to. "Can I reach you at this number if I need to?"

Luke nodded his head.

"Yeah." Steven passed that along. "You can. I'll answer unless I'm busy or in transit. We didn't fly direct so getting home is going to take some time."

"Understood. Just give a holler when you are heading here. I will meet you at the airport, or the train, or however you decide to arrive." Liz was looking forward to giving him a big hug.

"I can do that." Steven needed to go. He had lied to his sister enough for one phone call. "I have to head out."

"Of course you do. Vacation is happening. Rest up because I'm high maintenance." She said laughing.

"That's not even close to being true." Steven said smiling. "I'll talk to you later. I love you."

"I love you too." Liz was smiling when she hung up. She headed upstairs to Georgie's office. "I'm going downstairs to talk to Trent about an apartment."

"You decide that living with Jason isn't working out?" Georgie asked laughing. "There is an empty bedroom down the hall." She joked.

"I should set that up for when he is in the doghouse." Liz laughed too. For a minute she considered putting Steven up here, but then she remembered he didn't know what she did for a living. That was something she would share once he was settled in. "Steven is coming to Port Charles. Possibly permanently. I want to get him an apartment in the building for now. At some point he will probably want to move out though. It's important to him that he stand on his own feet." She would support him because it was important to his continued recovery.

"That's great news. Having family close is the best." Georgie knew firsthand how lonely Liz sometimes felt.

"Do you think your sister will ever come back to the states?" Liz hadn't ever met Maxie.

"I seriously doubt that she is brave enough to return to Port Charles." Georgie said with a wide smile. "There are too many people who would line up to knock her on her behind. Maxie's time here was not the best." Something her sister knew.

"I'm going to call Jason first, and then go see Trent." Liz figured she should tell her husband that her brother was moving in. Hearing it from his building wasn't the way to go about this.

"I'll try not to lick the lightbulbs while you are gone." Georgie was laughing again.

"That's probably for the best. I bet they taste awful." Liz responded before heading downstairs to call Jason.

* * *

"Well done Steven." Luke said grinning. "I even believed you were moving to be close to your sister. Keep up that level of work and you'll have this job done in no time."

"Once it's done, you leave my sister alone." Steven only cared about keeping Liz safe. He had failed Sarah, so messing up again wasn't going to happen.

"She's not my type." Luke said lighting his cigar. "All that I care about is getting you to hand over that baby. Then you and your sister will no longer be of concern."

Steven just nodded. Luke would take the baby to Karpov and Liz would be safe. That was all that mattered.

* * *

"What's up?" Johnny asked coming into Francis's office.

"Cooper just called me. Lucky Spencer was lurking around the village where AJ and Carly lived. No less than five people recognized his picture. Most of them were bartenders." Francis had gotten some of the best tips of his career from bartenders. They generally saw everything.

"Let me guess, no one saw him after they were killed?" Johnny asked his friend.

"Not a single sighting until Marco saw him in London. However we do have an interesting piece of information, because Cooper did some digging. Ronan O'Reilly, who looks a hell of a lot like Lucky Spencer, returned a rental with front fender damage. Said he hit a deer. It's common enough that the clerk at the agency didn't even blink about it." Francis passed along.

"The car has been fixed?" Johnny guessed that too.

"Yup. It was actually out when Cooper was there. Otherwise he would have asked to see it." Francis leaned back in his chair.

"He's good." Johnny had to hand it to his young friend. The photo had been the key to unlocking the information, but tracking the car showed he wasn't slacking off. "Now what?"

"We take this information to Jason, and try to keep him from killing Lucky." Francis told Johnny. Right now there were too many eyes on both the Spencer kid and Jason.

"Might be time to let the cat out of the bag about what Edward is doing. We can snatch Spencer and make it look like he bailed before getting in trouble." Johnny said thinking out loud.

"We can't do anything until Edward returns from England. I sent Cooper to London and told him to watch Jason's grandfather." Francis shared the new assignment he just handed out. "Moving too fast can mess up whatever Jason is setting in motion."

"Good point. You going to go talk to him now?" Johnny wanted to know.

"May as well." Francis decided standing up.

"I'll go with you." Johnny figured it would keep his friend from having to go over the same ground twice.

"He's in his office." Francis came around his desk and the two friends went to give their boss an update.

* * *

"Morgan." Jason put aside the paperwork he was reading.

"Guess what?" Liz was so happy she was having a hard time containing it.

"I suck at guessing games." Jason smiled at how happy she sounded.

"Steven is coming to Port Charles. Possibly to stay." Liz was almost bouncing.

"It will be good for you to have family close." Jason would need to alert the guys. He didn't think his new brother in-law was coming to cause problems, but Jason was still going to have eyes on him until they knew for sure. It was just how he was. "Call Trent and set up a place for Steven to stay."

"I was just on my way to do that. Thank you though." Liz liked that Jason didn't even hesitate to make the offer. "Steven said he was lonely in Kentucky." She pushed the call button for the elevator.

"Then it's good he is possibly coming to stay here." Jason remembered AJ saying that loneliness and boredom were two of the worst things someone in recovery could be faced with. They could lead to some very bad choices being made. "He's been staying sober?"

"Yeah." Liz knew why Jason was asking, and she wasn't upset. "I'm meeting him when he arrives. We'll sit down and have a very frank talk about what his being here will mean in terms of Michael." Her having family close made their case stronger, but if her family member was running around the city drunk it could reflect badly on them.

"I'm not asking you to choose." Jason wanted that clear.

"You don't need to ask. Realistically if Steven gets here and shows signs that he has fallen off the wagon my first move would be to get him into a rehab facility." Liz knew what to look for having been down that path before. "He sounded good on the phone, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed he decided to come up before things reached that point."

"There are furnished units on ten and twelve." Jason let her know. "In case that will help." For right now Steven would not be living on a floor where Michael might potentially be spending a lot of time. The units she would be looking at were still spacious and luxurious.

"If one of those units are available I'll go out and get a few things." Liz wasn't going to go overboard. Much. "Okay, I'm almost at the lobby. Go do some work."

"I've been working." He said grinning.

"Please, we both know you've just been sitting behind your desk looking sexy. If Angie wasn't happily married I would be worried." Liz said laughing. That wasn't true and he knew it. She knew he wouldn't ever cheat on her.

"Busted." He said laughing.

"Maybe some night when we have time you can give me a demonstration." Liz said in a husky whisper. "I could help you by taking some dictation."

"You are on." Jason wouldn't ever turn that offer down.

"I'm here." She said stepping off the elevator and letting him know she would be ending the call shortly. "Will I see you for lunch today?"

"If I can get over to the Towers you will." Jason looked up and saw his friends in the doorway. "I have to go."

"Okay. See you later. Love you." Liz said ending the call.

"Love you too." Jason didn't care that he wasn't alone. "What's up?" He asked the guys.

Francis, Johnny, and now Cody took seats in front of their boss's desk. "Cooper got confirmation that Spencer was in England when AJ and Carly were killed. Lucky returned a damaged vehicle to the rental agency, saying he hit a deer." Francis was giving the report. "While this evidence was circumstantial I am convinced that Spencer is who we are looking for." Francis had been doing this a long time. Everything about this was pointing to the man who was about to try and interrupt Jason's custody bid.

He didn't say anything right away. Jason was not a person to make rash decisions because they often came back to haunt you. However this situation was about as personal as things could get. If Francis was convinced that Lucky Spencer was responsible for AJ's death then that was good enough for Jason. "I want Spencer dead. And I'm going to get what I want." The blonde mob boss's voice was ice cold. "Unfortunately I'm going to have to wait." He balled up the hand on his desk so tightly that his knuckles cracked. "To move against him now would upset my plans to neutralize my grandfather." Edward was the bigger threat and Jason was going to make sure that the old man didn't have a chance to regroup and strike again. This was going to be put to rest once and for all.

"We already have eyes on Spencer." Cody told Jason. "Snatching him isn't going to be difficult. I'm looking into the woman who came here with him."

"Based on Logan's reports, and Cooper's, she is only involved in the stateside scam." Francis told the group. Cooper had indeed asked if Lucky, aka Ronan, was traveling with anyone.

"We will let the courts handle her then." Jason knew that once the scheme came to light arrests were going to be made. He already had plans in place to keep his grandfather out of jail. Now he needed to make sure Lucky didn't get hauled away either. Finding someone behind bars to handle the con artist wouldn't be hard, but Jason wanted to pull the trigger himself.

"Logan's reports mention that the father, Luke, said Lucky screwed up a job recently. Do you think he wasn't supposed to kill your brother and Carly? Or do you think Luke is upset at how sloppy everything went down?" Johnny was asking because if they needed to pick up Luke they had to start putting together a plan.

Jason relaxed his hand and drummed his fingers on the desk. "My brother and Carly dead doesn't benefit Luke or Lucky. It's not like they were going to get custody of Michael and access to his trust fund. Carly didn't even know about them. I'm thinking Lucky was there to reconnoiter and for some reason he ended up killing them." The accident report made it clear running them off the road was intentional.

"Maybe a snatch?" Cody said giving it some thought. "Of your brother, Carly, or both. Clearly Michael wasn't the target." Since he wasn't in the car.

"That sounds right." Francis had also been thinking along those lines. "I'll start putting out feelers on the dad. Once we have Lucky he'll hopefully be able to fill in some details about where his father was traveling to in Mexico." Johnny told everyone. Not talking wouldn't be an option, by the time they were done with him he would beg to tell what he knew.

"Spencer doesn't get away." Jason looked at Cody who nodded.

"Understood." The head of security would have no other focus until this was done. Renaldo would handle anything that cropped up in the territory on his own or with Kyle.

"Do you have an estimated return date for your grandfather?" Francis was trying to construct a timeline.

"Roughly four days." Jason knew that Edward was meeting with one of the people they created to run Jason's fake companies today. "Once he is back in the city we can start putting things in motion." Pushing up the timeline would probably catch Edward off guard.

"Let us know what you need." Francis would start moving pieces into place so they were ready to go when Jason gave the word.

"I will." Jason said sounding a lot calmer than he felt. "Steven Webber is arriving in town. Elizabeth will have a better handle on exactly when. I want eyes on him. I don't think he's an issue, but I just want to make sure."

"We can handle that." Cody knew that fell under his umbrella. "You think he's interested in his wife's new rich husband. Since he doesn't know how deep her pockets are?"

"Based on how Elizabeth describes him, no. However money makes people do strange things. Everything that is happening now proves that." Jason told the guys. Edward had more money than he could ever spend, but he still wanted AJ's company so he could make more. "I don't want Elizabeth hurt."

"We will help you make sure that doesn't happen." Johnny told his boss.

Jason nodded, and with that the meeting ended.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	49. Chapter 49

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 49

"Mr. Quartermaine." The older Englishman stood up, and extended his hand to his guest. While his first name really was David his last name wasn't Gray. For the money he was getting though he would be whoever Jason wanted. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

Edward shook the hand of the man standing in front of him. The posh English accent spoke of an upper class upbringing. His clothes were tailored and spoke of a man who enjoyed the finer aspects of life. The business portfolio that Edward had reviewed spoke of a sharp business mind. The owner of Canton Industries was exactly the kind of investor AJ would have wanted for his new business.

"Have a seat." David pointed to the chair and raised a hand to alert their waiter to bring his guest a cup of tea. "I'm sorry for the loss of your grandson. I was ill which was why I didn't make it to the service."

"Thank you." Edward accepted the condolences as if it were his due. "Did you know my grandson well?"

"Well enough to know that the two of you didn't exactly see eye to eye most of the time." David said with a knowing smile. "I also knew that AJ possessed an exceptional business mind. Which given his last name was not surprising." He had been told exactly how to play this particular mark. Stroking Edward's ego was the way to go.

Edward just smirked. David wasn't saying anything he didn't know. The Quartermaines produced exceptional minds. Despite the fact that Ned and AJ had proven to be disappointments, he couldn't speak badly of their business sense. Michael however would be the culmination of what the family could be. "You are not what I was expecting."

"You were thinking that AJ would turn to his contemporaries for investments?" David was guessing that it was his age that had been the surprise.

"Yes." Edward said nodding. The man across from him was closer to his age than AJ's.

"He wanted people who already had successful businesses of their own. It was my experience more than my money that he was interested in." David said sipping his tea. "He also wanted people who wouldn't be intimidated by going toe to toe with you."

"Is that right?" Edward's smile got wider. AJ wouldn't have ever admitted to be imitated.

"While the two of you were at odds, he did respect you as a business owner." David leaned back in his chair and turned earnest eyes on his mark. "I think it was important to him that you finally respected him as a business contemporary."

Edward just nodded. That wouldn't have ever really happened. AJ had a sharp mind, but it was flawed. Having men like David Gray explained just how Quartermaine International was able to best ELQ in certain sectors. "I was shocked when AJ left the family company."

"We were his age once." David said with a wry grin. "At some point every young man feels the need to prove to his elders that he is their equal. You started your company for that very reason I believe." He said indicating that he had looked into Edward. "It's why I started the company I eventually sold. We proved that it can be done by owning companies more successful than our fathers did. AJ was poised to make his mark in the business world."

"You think that he would have created something lasting?" Edward wanted to know.

"I think he had the potential. However if I had to guess I would say what he really wanted was for you to respect the effort. I think that at some point your grandson would have allowed you to fold his company into ELQ." David said with a slight shrug.

"You invested in a company that you expected to fold?" Edward respected that kind of chutzpah. He respected a man who was willing to take a risk.

"I invested in a company that was going to make money. For as long as possible I wanted to ride that wave. When AJ was ready to buy me out I would have walked away with a tidy profit." David's smile was slick. "Life without risk is boring. Business without risk is pointless. Your grandson made me a tidy bundle. I'm hoping that Jasper Jacks makes me even more."

Edward got that it was time to get down to why this meeting was taking place. "You aren't worried about his track record?"

"It's true that he's had some spectacular failures." David leaned forward on the table. "But he never quits. A man like that is going to strike it big at some point. I want to be there for that. It's all about the profits, and sometimes you have to endure losses before the tide changes."

"What if I can offer you that profit right now." Edward said laying out the hook.

"I'm listening." David just let Edward keep talking.

"I think it's time that AJ's company came home." So to speak. "There is no way that Jacks should be running a business that my grandson started."

"I am aware of the problems between your two families. I have to admit that I was surprised when your other grandson sold the company so quickly and to whom." David let a frown come to his face. "I was also relieved. No offense but his money is questionable."

"None taken because it's true." Edward was thinking this was going to be easier than expected. "Jasper is the lesser of the two evils. There is a reason that I never invited Jason into the company. My grandson more than likely sold the company to Jacks to irritate me." Edward said scowling.

David just nodded. "So what is this offer that you have for me?" He said getting to the point of the meeting.

"I want Quartermaine International and getting it will be easier from the inside." Edward started explaining.

"You are aware that I and my fellow shareholders don't have a majority?" David said stopping him before he got going.

"I don't need a majority, just a way in. With as much stock as I can get. Once I'm on the board I can begin making the changes necessary." Edward was confident that this was going to work. "I was hoping that I could acquire your stock."

"Selling now would see me potentially losing a massive windfall. Jasper has outlined where he'd like to take the company in the future. It's ambitious and if handled correctly will be very lucrative." David made sure to come across as reluctant.

"If is the most dangerous word in business." Edward said with a knowing chuckle. "We both have been around long enough to know that. I have a guaranteed profit just waiting to be scooped up."

"Guaranteed is a fool's promise." David said shaking his head.

"Normally yes. However I am willing to offer you a stake in ELQ." Edward said dangling the fat carrot in front of the other man.

"ELQ is a privately owned company." David responded clearly surprised. Jason had said this was the route his grandfather was going to take, but David hadn't really believed it.

"For the moment. I'm going to take my company public." Edward had made the decision when he put this plan together. It was the fastest way to get the shareholders in AJ's company to agree to sell, and to be honest it was going to bring him a lot of money. ELQ was going to be the stock to own. "If you accept my offer then when I do you'll be in on the ground floor. If you keep the stock you'll make a profit. If you sell the stock then you'll still make a profit."

"Keep going." David came across as intrigued. "How much stock are we talking about?"

"I'm willing to give you five percent of the company." Edward was going to lowball the other man.

"That is less than half the number of shares I own in Quartermaine International." David sounded insulted. "Why would I take that deal?"

"Because ELQ is more than three times the size of the company you currently invested in." Edward held the cards in this negotiations. "Five shares of my company is more than fair." Edward leaned back in his chair. David was the biggest of the outside investors, if he could be persuaded then the rest would more than likely fall in the line.

"While that is true, we are treading on murky waters." The Englishman pointed out. "Your trade commission would consider this insider trading. You are giving me advance notice of an IPO." By pointing this out Edward wouldn't be able to claim entrapment.

"I have a friend on the trade commission who will make sure we don't face any issues." Edward had covered all his bases. He wasn't going to jail for getting the company that by all rights should be his.

"When something seems too good to be true it often is." David wasn't just going to leap at the offer.

"Often is the key word in this sentence." Edward just smirked. "This is the only sure thing you will come across in the business world."

"Twelve percent." David made a counteroffer.

"Nine." Edward respected that the other man didn't just roll over and say yes. Making a profit was the name of the game.

"Deal." David said knowing he could only push so much. "When can I expect the paperwork?"

"This afternoon." Edward was going to have signed documents before getting back on the plane.

"It's a pleasure doing business with you." David smiled wide. Jason was going to be pleased with the morning's work.

* * *

Liz was still buzzing from the news that Steven was possibly moving to Port Charles. She spent most of yesterday setting up a new place for him. The furniture in the unit should suit him well, but she wanted some personal touches waiting to greet him. Including copies of pictures she had of the two of them. So frames had to be purchased which meant a trip to Wyndham's. At one point she had looked over to find Marco laughing at how chipper she was.

Today she had made herself sit down and focus on work. Within ten minutes of reading her completed panels what was wrong with the newest panel became clear. So Liz grabbed a pencil and fell into the new world she was creating. By the end of the work day she was back on her way to a completed issue.

Now she was slipping on her shoes because she was going out with Jason. It wasn't date night per se. It was business dinner, but because there were meeting up with friends the evening was more casual. The more relaxed evening meant that Liz could grant Jason's request of what she wore.

The sleeveless V neck black and white halter style dress was perfect for a summer night out. At the same time it dressy enough that she could wear it to an upscale restaurant. The floral print made it eye catching and gave it a soft feminine feel. The dress set the tone for the accessories. Black studs were in her ears and black low heeled sandals with a soft knot detail were on her feet.

"Nadine is downstairs." Jason came in and stood behind his wife so that they were framed in the floor length mirror. His charcoal grey suit and black shirt complimented her look. He was skipping the tie for the evening which would make the night more enjoyable. He had complimented her when she first got dressed, but she looked amazing so he did it again. "I really do like this dress."

"I will be sure to let my mother know." Liz said looking over her shoulder and smiling up at him. "I'll get a lot of use out of it. Since Nadine is here we should go ahead and leave. How come we are eating at the Port Charles Hotel, and not at a restaurant you own?"

"Eating there makes it easier for Edward's guy to spy on us." Jason said with a half grin. "He would kind of stick out at one of my places."

"Okay. It's always nice to know in advance that you are going get spied on." Liz said laughing.

"If anything I have to worry about you being so beautiful that he forgets why he's really there." Jason said paying her a compliment and making her blush.

"I guess I'll just have to fade into the background then." Liz's pulse jumped when he got all flirty. The man was just all kinds of potent.

"Not even possible." He said dropping her a wink before walking down the stairs.

"Have fun tonight." Nadine was standing by the couch as they came down.

"We will." Liz said as Jason got down her light jacket. "We will be back before midnight."

"Take your time." Nadine had been off all day, so she wasn't going to be overworked if they stayed out late. In fact she was getting off easy because Michael had one bottle and one diaper change before bedtime. She didn't even need to give him a bath. It would be a relaxed night.

The door opened and Renaldo came in. The surprised expression on Nadine's face said she didn't know that he was coming up. He had to admit that he was surprised when Liz called him this afternoon and asked that he hang out with Nadine. He was guessing this was Liz's way of saying that she and Jason didn't mind him spending time with Nadine if she was working in the building. He would check with Nadine, and if it made her uncomfortable they wouldn't do it again.

"Lee is under the weather, and Milo is on a date with Georgie." Liz said trying not to laugh. "So I asked Renaldo to hang out with you. I figured you wouldn't mind." She knew that they hadn't gone out on a date just yet, but they were spending all their free time together. With the building secure they could focus on one another when Michael was asleep with no problem. Especially since Liz knew they wouldn't even engage in any kissing since they were both on the clock.

"Renaldo you know where everything is." Jason honestly didn't care if his friend hung out with Nadine while she worked. So when Elizabeth suggested it he didn't say no. Renaldo wouldn't distract Nadine from her job. "See you later."

Renaldo nodded and locked up when they left. "I brought up a couple of DVDs. You said you haven't see The Avengers movies yet, so I have one and two." He said holding up the cases.

"Sounds like fun." Nadine wanted to fuss with her hair.

"Too close for comfort?" He asked because Nadine seemed tense.

"No." She said shaking her head. "I'm glad you are here. I'm just not used to being allowed to have guests while working. Generally you tell your babysitter not to have her…friends over." She almost said boyfriend.

He caught the pause when she was trying to figure out how to label him. They needed to clear that up, but not tonight. "In a few more weeks you won't need to have anyone sit with you." Renaldo explained to her.

"A probationary period is never a bad thing." Nadine got it. "I like seeing them being careful with who is let near their son." She planned on saying that during her interview with CPS when it got scheduled. "I want to go check on Michael."

"I'll set up the movie so we can watch when you come back down." Renaldo smiled as she walked away. He was looking forward to having some time together.

* * *

"How are things down in New York?" Liz asked before sipping her wine.

"I'm adjusting to no longer modeling." Dominique had just recently decided to retire. She figured it was better to leave on her own then to have the number of jobs she booked start to dwindle. The modeling industry was all about the fresh young face and she'd been around for almost twenty years making her one of the more established names out there. "Now I just need to find a way to keep busy and stay out of trouble." She said laughing. Just being Jax's girlfriend wasn't enough of a purpose for her.

"I'd love it if whatever Dominique decides to do can be done here." Jax said covering her hand with his. He respected her need to make her own money.

"I would like that too." Liz smiled at her friend. Dominique and Carly had been close. Whenever the model was free she would accompany Jax to Port Charles when he came. He would check the businesses and she would visit with Carly once she was free. During those visits Liz had started to get to know Dominique and they hit it off. It was always wonderful to make a new friend. "We need more strong women in the area."

"My skill set is small." Dominique said naming her number one problem. "A degree in Liberal Arts that is over ten years old and was never used isn't much in demand." That was a truth she couldn't hide from. "I don't want to open a modeling agency."

"Over done?" Liz was guessing. The guys were sitting back and letting them control the conversation for now.

"Yes, and you cannot imagine the egos." Dominique laughed and rolled her eyes. "I actually called my agent and apologized a couple of years back. I know there was no way I wasn't insufferable." By sixteen she had been making tens of thousands of dollars per job.

"I might be able to help you with a job." Jason said getting everyone's attention. "Are you staying in the area for a few days?"

"I'm here for the next two weeks." Dominique told Jason. "If you make me a good enough offer the only reason I'll return to New York is to pack up my things." Because yeah she did want to be with Jax. She didn't want them going back to doing the long distance thing. He had moved from Melbourne to be with her, so she'd like to be able to move here to be with him.

"Let me get back to you." Jason looked at his wife and nodded.

"I need to freshen up." Liz rose to her feet at Jason's signal. She smiled at Dominque and the other woman got the message.

"Me too." She stood as the men did as well. She knew that the point of the dinner was for the guys to talk business. Apparently that was going to happen now. "How long do we have to stay gone?"

"About ten minutes." Liz shared with her friend.

"That's more than enough time for us to talk about that killer dress you are wearing." Dominique said as they stepped into the lounge.

* * *

At the table Jax looked at Jason. "What have you heard?" Edward's guy was a couple of tables away. He couldn't hear them but that was fine. They just wanted him to be seen in case Edward checked. Brian already knew what he was supposed to pass along.

"David, Peter, and Josh have all been approached." Jason told his partner. "They all accepted the deal."

"I have to admit thinking you were going to be wrong." Jax leaned on the table. "The Trade Commission is not a board I would try to get around. I'm kind of impressed."

"He's got friend on the board." Jason told the other man. "Unfortunately for Edward I know who that friend is. Which once again levels the playing field. I have been assured that I am not going to have any problems using my grandfather's actions against him."

"So now we wait?" For Jax that was going to be the hard part.

"Not for long." Jason assured his friend. Once his grandfather returned Jason would look at the timeline and decide when they made their next move. "I'm not looking to drag this out any longer than necessary. At the same time I need to be careful because this isn't the only iron I have in the fire. It's not even the most important one."

"Of course Michael needs to be your main priority." Jax said nodding his head. "Can I ask about the job offer you have for Dominique?"

"No." Jason said with a smirk. "Since the offer is for her then I'll talk to her first."

Jax just had to laugh at that. Without even needing to ask he knew that whatever the job was it would be legal. "Fair enough."

Jason took a swallow of his drink. The truth was at the moment he didn't have a job for Dominique. He needed he talk with someone else first to create an opening. He had been so busy plotting his grandfather's downfall that he had overlooked a pretty big step. Even without Dominique's very timely appearance he would have made it work. It was that having her here could potentially make things easier.

"Brian will make his report before he goes to bed tonight." Jax got them off the topic of his girlfriend. With the time difference Edward would be having breakfast as he listened.

"What exactly is he going to pass on?" Jason wasn't that thrilled with not being in total control, but there were too many points that needed to be covered.

"That I'm worried about the series of meetings he's been having." Jax began relaying the story he came up with, and Rafe passed along. "Tonight's dinner is me asking you what you suspect your grandfather is trying to pull, and me asking you for help to stop him."

"He'll eat that up. David said that Edward was full of himself during the entire meeting." Jason couldn't recall a moment when the old man wasn't full of himself.

"Your grandmother isn't going to hate me when this is all over will she?" Jax wanted to know. He adored Lila.

"No." Jason shook his head. "You'll still be able to flirt shamelessly with her."

"If she wasn't so irresistible I wouldn't do it." Jax responded with a smile that turned to a laugh at Jason's frown. "She's way out of my league."

"Remember that, and we'll be fine." The blonde mob boss grinned. "Here come the ladies." Jason said getting to his feet. With business done they could spend the rest of the meal socializing.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	50. Chapter 50

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 50

"Come in." Jason stepped back so that Skye and Cody could enter the penthouse. "Have a seat." Jason was just more comfortable when his sister was being still. He briefly wondered how high Cody's blood pressure was these days.

"First let me get a hug." Skye said letting her sister wrap her up tight. "Now I need to kiss on my nephew." She said smooching on Michael. "And finally. Ta-da!" She said turning to the side and smoothing down her shirt.

"You're showing." Liz just had to hug Skye again. "Has Emily seen the bump?"

"No, but she knows about it. Lila was the first person I showed it to." Skye knew that wouldn't be surprising. "I haven't seen Emily in person because she's been working a lot of hours. I try talk to her as often as possible though. She and Matt are happy with their new jobs. She felt bad, like she was ignoring us but I assured her that wasn't the case."

"Not in the least. A major move and new jobs, I'm sure she is wishing there were more hours in the day right now." Liz got it. Her move had been across the country and it took her months before she felt settled. "I've been talking to her on the phone as well. She'll be here for dinner and so will Matt." It was Sunday night and they were having their family dinner.

"Thanks." Skye took the juice Cody handed over. She wasn't thirsty but would drink it anyway to make him happy. When you were pregnant you couldn't be too hydrated.

"Everything is good?" Jason asked sitting on the arm of the chair behind Elizabeth.

"Everything is great." Skye grinned. "No gender at our last visit, but if you believe in old wives' tales then based on how fast the heartbeat is we are having a girl."

"I have plenty of guards." Jason told Cody.

"If we have a girl I will be talking to you about that." Cody was one hundred percent serious. Having been a teenaged boy he knew how they thought. A guard would put a halt to any potential nonsense.

Skye just gave her brother a look. She wasn't going to let the two of them lock her daughter down. Which was what her father already wanted to do. They wouldn't be doing this if she was potentially having a boy. She knew she could call on Liz, and Emily, for help if it was needed.

"If we don't have a confirmed gender by the time the shower rolls around we'll pull out the green and yellow streamers." Liz told her friend. "There are loads of gender neutral themes to choose from, or if you do find out who is in there you could even do a gender reveal party." She was looking forward to planning the event. Lila was going to host while Liz and Emily pulled everything together.

"Diane offered the use of her house." Skye said before swallowing more juice. "She is making the most of that party space." Which wasn't surprising. Both the attorney and Francis liked to entertain.

"Do Alan and Monica know yet?" Jason asked his sister.

"No. I haven't spoken much to either of them since the brunch. However, I happen to know that this is the time of year that administrators are finalizing the placements for interns, residents, and fellows which means they might be buried under paperwork." Skye saw Jason's frown. "I really don't think it's me this time."

"I ran into Alan on Friday. He actually said hi and asked about Skye. It's the first time he's acknowledged my presence outside of the mansion. So I'm thinking that they are going to try this go round." Cody hoped so because this was their last chance.

"What did you need to see me for?" He had asked them to come over a little early. Skye wanted to shift the focus of the conversation before Jason decided to call their parents. As it was he might be tracking one or both of them down.

"Actually its business related." Jason said letting Alan and Monica's behavior go. "Do you want to go into my office, or would you like to talk about it here."

"Here is fine." Skye would only end up telling Cody later, and there was a good chance Elizabeth already knew what Jason wanted to discuss.

"I need you to step down as CEO of Deception. Before you do I'd like you to train Dominique Stanton on how to run things. Assuming she accepts my job offer when it's made." Jason had sat in his office earlier and practiced what he wanted to say to his sister so the words came out right.

"That may be the nicest firing I've ever endured." Skye laughed as she teased her brother. "Why am I being sacked? Profits are up." She said with a wide smile. Skye wasn't upset because she knew there was a reason Jason was asking her to do this.

"You're not being sacked. Cody would beat me up. You are actually being promoted." Jason cleared up relieved that she wasn't upset.

"To what?" Skye wanted to know. There was no position higher than the one she held in the company.

"I'm about to take ELQ from Edward, and I need someone to run it." Jason said letting his sister in on part of what he had planned for their grandfather.

"Seriously?" Skye asked stunned. "You're taking the company?"

"I am. It's pretty much a done deal at this point." Jason was already the majority shareholder. Edward had handed over control of the company yesterday when he made another inside deal to trade stock. The old man wouldn't even realize he was no longer in control until Jason wanted him to. The takeover had started the day after they had dinner with Jax. Lila sold her share of the company to Jason. She didn't want to vote against her husband and this meant she didn't have to. However his grandmother did want it clear that she supported this move.

"Why not Tracy?" Skye wanted to know. "She would be the obvious choice."

"I promised Ned that I wouldn't put her in charge." Jason's cousin had guessed how all this was going to turn out once Edward announced he planned on acquiring AJ's company. The only way to stop their grandfather was to take everything from him. He didn't come right out and ask if that was Jason's endgame, Ned had instead used the word 'if' a lot. "Tracy will destroy the company out of spite. ELQ has a lot of employees. They don't deserve to lose their jobs because the family can't get along."

"You don't want to run it?" Skye asked him. That would really get Edward's goat.

"I'm not trying to kill him." Jason said laughing. "I don't want anything to do with ELQ. The company needs a CEO who doesn't have an agenda. That's not me. I also want to keep the company in the family." He wasn't going to take it public like his grandfather was planning to. "Your child may want to run it. Brook Lynn might want to run it. Michael may want to run it." Jason said shrugging. "I don't have the right to take that option from them."

"So you and Edward are going to be the only shareholders? How does Lila fit into all this?" Skye still wasn't sure what the breakdown within the family was. She didn't own stocks because her grandfather didn't see her as a real Quartermaine.

"Lila won't be hurt." Jason assured his sister. "I'm doing this with her blessing. She sold me her stock, with one condition."

"Which was?" Skye was still processing the request.

"I have to take the stocks that Edward owns as well." Jason was guessing that ruthlessness that he often showed came from his grandmother and not the old man. "Grandmother is convinced that if he still has a seat on the board it is only a matter of time before he tries something else. She told me it was time he retired. Once I have all the stocks I will divide them between you, Emily, Ned, and Elizabeth."

"Grandmother doesn't want stock?" Skye noted that her name wasn't on the list.

"No." Jason shook his head as he answered. "Lila has had enough of ELQ. She is content to own the pickle company. I assured her that the lifestyle she currently enjoys will not be impacted." Which wasn't really an issue because she had a very healthy bank account and so did Edward. But if that wasn't the case, Jason would have taken care of his grandmother for the rest of life.

"What about Alan, Monica, and Tracy?" Was Skye's next question.

"Alan had his stock taken away from him when he went into medicine. Tracy lost her stock when she got fired, and Monica never owned stock." Jason explained to his sister.

"Edward didn't start his manipulative ways with AJ and Ned I see." Skye just shook her head. "He punished Alan for following his own path. That is just wrong. One thing being in this family has done for me is to show me what to not do as a parent." Jason's restructuring of the company meant it would no longer be used as a prize to pit family members against one another.

This meeting, if you could call it that, was a lot like when Jason offered her the top position at Deception. They didn't even talk about the job in his office. He took her to lunch and brought up what was on his mind. Skye looked over at her guy.

"Whatever you decide I'll support." Cody let her know. "I do have one question for you. Having the CEO, and a part owner of ELQ, involved with an alleged mobster could get the attention of the wrong people." He meant the IRS and Treasury department.

"Let them come look. My name won't be on any of the paperwork. Neither will yours. Also every single dime of money in the company is clean. It has been since the Solieto mess was cleaned up." Jason had Diane and Bernie all over this. "Getting a subpoena to even look at the books will be hard because Skye isn't going to break any laws. Her reputation is above reproach, which makes her perfect for this position." He was using his sister, but he was being up front about that.

"If I say no to the job? Or to the stocks." Skye asked him.

"I'll hire someone to run the company." Jason had a short list of names already. "And you would stay at Deception." He wanted it clear no matter what she would still have a job. "If you don't want to be a part owner of ELQ I can work with that as well."

"I'm guessing that I'm the only family member, other than grandmother, that knows what's coming." Skye was thinking about how this would affect her relationship with her father and stepmother.

"That's correct." Jason paused before speaking. "Alan and Monica don't have anything to do with ELQ, so this shouldn't affect them one way or the other. They want to be a part of Michael's life too badly to rock the boat. I still haven't allowed them access to their grandson, something they will take into account before opening their mouths." He knew how that sounded, but he also knew it was the truth. "I made it clear when all this started they were either with me or against me."

"Life as a member of this family has not been dull." Skye said leaning back against her guy. "Since I've arrived I've watched them rip one another to shreds on a regular basis. They fight over everything. Edward's weapon of choice has always been his company. While AJ and Ned found a way to make him stop, Edward was still using it to make Dillon feel like his decisions were wrong right up until he got sick." Emily had filled in that portion of the family history. "Our sister went through it too when she declared medicine as her major, its time this behavior stopped." AJ might not have turned to alcohol if Edward had been checked earlier. "This family needs to stop being toxic for its members." Because she wasn't putting her child through that.

"So you'll take the job?" Jason was thinking yes.

"I still get my maternity leave correct?" Skye was only joking. She knew that no matter what Jason wouldn't deny her or Cody the time off.

"I think that is doable." He said laughing. "I'll speak with Dominique tomorrow, she may call you shortly after that."

"There's going to be a quick turnaround I'm guessing?" That didn't surprise Skye.

"ELQ has a strong leadership team. It should be fine until you are ready to come on board." Jason wasn't going to stress out his pregnant sister.

"Deception has Elton. He will make sure she has all the support she needs. As a former model she'll know about the products first hand." Everyone in the cosmetics industry knew the model's name. She hadn't ever fronted a brand, but all the big ones had made offers. Including Deception. "It's the day to day running of the business she'll need to learn. But something tells me that she'll do fine otherwise you wouldn't be offering her the job."

"I've known Dominique for a while. She's up to the challenge." Jason had no doubt about that.

"Tell Emily what's going on before the news breaks in the press." Skye told her brother.

"I intend to. The story the press will get is that Edward is retiring, and you are taking over. The company isn't public so we don't need to answer to anyone." Which was why Jason could do this in the first place. "Are you comfortable taking the stocks?"

"I am. I understand why you are doing things this way." Skye nodded at her brother. "I also have moved past the reason I didn't want any stock in Deception." She had thought people would say she had joined the family and immediately started looking for a payout. That was why she didn't own stock in the makeup brand.

"People are going to say I'm a gold digger." Cody said laughing. His girl was about to take the reins of a multibillion dollar company. He couldn't be more proud.

Liz just rolled her eyes. "You don't get to complain until they think you're a high priced escort."

"There's a story behind that remark." Skye said laughing. "You need to tell it while we wait for everyone else to arrive."

Jason listened to his wife as another piece of the puzzle fell into place.

* * *

Liz opened the door because Jason was talking with Matt. "I was beginning to think that you guys weren't going to come."

"I was the hold up." Nadine admitted as she and Renaldo stepped into the penthouse. Looking around she didn't see a face that was unrecognizable.

"We brought cake. By we, I mean Nadine made it." Renaldo said grinning. "I'm just taking half the credit."

"He bought over the ingredients." Nadine smiled at him. It was too soon to say he was her boyfriend, but after their first official date this week she could use that title. She had skyped with a friend from college who said she was limiting her options by settling for the first guy she met. Nadine hadn't even bothered to try to explain that when it was right, you just knew it. She had dated enough jerks to recognize a good guy when he came along.

"I'll take it into the kitchen." Liz said holding out her hands for the box. They hadn't told anyone to bring things over, but Jason said it was going to happen anyway. After the third item arrived she arranged the food buffet style in the kitchen. Folks could help themselves and then they would all sit around the table to eat.

Nadine followed Elizabeth into the kitchen. "I'm sorry we are late."

Liz just smiled. "I don't think it's possible to be late for a family dinner. Especially not this one." Tonight's gathering was about as laid back as you could get. "Are you having problems with the lack of defined structure?"

"I'm that transparent huh?" Nadine watched Liz put the cake in the dessert section. "It's not what I was trained for. The Quartermaines were nice but I was clearly staff in their home."

"That would have changed in time." Liz pointed to the barstools and they sat. "Carly wasn't the lady of the manor type. You were taking care of her son which meant she would have wanted to know you well. It also meant she would have included you in family events. I'm the same way."

"I liked Carly. I didn't really know her very well before she died." Nadine had been busy with Michael. With him fresh from surgery and the hospital he took up more time.

"You are going to be a constant in our lives. I'm not going to ignore your presence. I'm certainly not going to treat you like you're a servant. While yes we do pay you because you are caring for our son there is a lot more personal interaction between us than say with our housekeeper." Liz wanted Nadine to know why they wanted a more casual relationship than what she was trained to expect.

Nadine nodded. She bet Liz knew the housekeeper's name and things about the woman's life. She was too friendly not to. Nadine was also guessing that Liz and Jason were the type of bosses who gave out birthday gifts and holiday bonuses because they wanted you to know they appreciated your work.

"We're a family." Liz said smiling. "That label isn't just for some of us, but for all of us." That went right down to the newest worker in the organization. When they first got hired the guys were partnered up with a long time worker who would check in on them and make sure they were doing okay. In some cases they would even let the new guy bunk in their house until they were ready to move out on their own. That attitude was why Jason's guys were so fiercely loyal to each other. They weren't just workers, they were part of a larger whole.

"I just don't want you and Jason to ever feel I don't respect you." Nadine told her what the big issue was. "At the end of the day I do work for you."

"Follow the instructions we lay out for our son and take the very best care of him that you can. If you do those two things, then that feeling you just mentioned won't ever happen." Liz shrugged making it simple. "That's really all we need."

"I'll always give Michael my best." Nadine promised Elizabeth.

"Like I said earlier, that's all I need." Liz smiled at the other woman. "Come on, let's join everyone else. Otherwise they will think that we are in here eating the sweets."

"I'm looking forward to trying the brownies. Georgie said they are amazing." Nadine and Liz's assistant hung out whenever they could. Their friendship was now well established.

"Get one when you fill up your plate the first time. They will go quickly." Liz warned Nadine. "I try to always make enough, but I've come to realize there is no such thing." She wasn't bragging, just stating a fact. "Everyone help yourselves." Liz announced as they walked back into the living room. If they started the meal, she would have a shot at getting to hold her son. Although based on the way Emily was holding her nephew that might not be the case.

* * *

"How long are you going to pout?" Jason asked his sister trying not to laugh. "You have to share." Liz who was sitting on the arm of the chair this time just laughed. So did Matt who was on the couch with his wife.

"When I was just an aunt that was true, but now I'm an aunt and godmother. That means I should get twice as much time." She said with bright smile. "I'm off on Thursday. I can come back and visit while everyone else is at work."

"Feel free to stop by. Nadine knows that you can visit. If she says it's not a good time you need to respect that." Jason told his sister.

"I would never get pushy with Nadine. You two, yes. Her, no." Emily said unrepentant about that. "How are you doing?" She just wanted to check on him. While folks might see him as emotionless that wasn't true. Jason would have definite feelings about what was going on within the family.

"Tired." He told her. They were on the patio. The family dinner was over, she and Matt were the last ones left. Jason was guessing that after this talk they would scram too. "There is no reason for us to have to go through all this. Edward is being juvenile, unnecessarily so."

"You'll get no argument from me." Emily was looking forward to this being the final major skirmish. There would always be drama, but it wouldn't ever be at this level again.

"I saw you and Skye huddling." Jason had told his older sister she could talk with Em.

"She's going to kickass as the CEO of the company. I'm so proud of how awesome she is already, but I have a feeling we haven't seen anything yet." Emily agreed with Jason's choice. Like Monica, Emily had never been a stock holder in the company. It wasn't really something that she had ever aspired to. In fact she had been fortunate enough to have been able to ignore ELQ altogether. Now that she was going to be a stockholder she needed to learn about what the company did. A tea with grandmother was going to be necessary. "I just wish I could see Aunt Tracy's face when she reads the news. I know that thought is so wrong, but I'm allowed."

"I just want to make sure you are okay with what is coming. I have tried to keep you and Skye out of this." Jason told Emily.

"That's not possible." The doctor could only smile at how protective Jason was of her. "Even if you could have kept us away from the ELQ issue we would have been dragged into the custody battle. Grandfather assured that by hiring that lawyer and those people." Emily had seen the redheaded woman out the other day and had to resist the urge to snatch her bald.

"This will be over soon." Jason was going to have a meeting with Francis and Johnny tomorrow.

"Good to know. We are going to go now." Emily patted her husband's knee. "Matt is going to drive so that I don't go over to the mansion and yell at mom and dad. Skye asked me to stay out of that, and I'm going to respect her wishes. Now is not the time for me to stress her out. It's hard though."

"She will let us know if she needs our help." Jason stood up and hugged on his sister. "Cody has the situation under control. So behave." Jason told Emily before giving her a kiss on the forehead.

"Fine." Emily said in mock protest. "Only because I don't want to make you look bad." She gave Liz a hug. "Lunch on Thursday, after I visit with Michael?"

"Absolutely." Liz said getting a hug.

"Bring Georgie if she's free." Emily liked Liz's assistant a lot. "Skye will probably be busy but I'll call and let her know. See you then." Emily got more hugs, Matt too.

"That was so much fun." Liz said smiling at Jason.

"It was." He hadn't realized how much he missed this until tonight. "We get to do it again next week."

"Now we get to go upstairs and pass out." She said laughing. "Let me check on the kid and I'll meet you in bed."

Jason gave her a kiss. "I'll be right up after locking up." He watched her go upstairs thinking that they were one day closer to this being over. He was more than ready for that.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	51. Chapter 51

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 51

"Nice of you to show up." Johnny started right in on Jason when his boss walked into his office.

Jason just flipped his third in command off. They were in the sitting area. He flopped down on the couch. "Edward returned late last night. Contact Logan. I want a recording of Luke Spencer talking about sending his son here for a custody bid on Ms. Chilson's desk tomorrow morning. See if the tape can be cut to leave my grandfather's name out of things."

"You don't want Edward reamed out in court?" Francis was surprised by that.

"No. I want the focus on Luke Spencer. With his history of cons it will be an easy sell. If Edward's name comes up I want it to be by Ms. Walsh. I want the unedited tape. I'm going to use it as part of my leverage against my grandfather along with the recordings that Stan got from England." Jason had the old man boxed in nice and tight.

"How much of ELQ do you own now?" Johnny was often amazed at how far ahead Jason managed to think. It was one of the things that made him deadly as a mob boss. He just seemed to have the ability of knowing what moves his adversary was going to make.

"I have Lila's forty percent. I also now have the fifteen percent of the company Edward traded for shares of AJ's company." Jason grinned at his friends. "He wanted it so that no matter what he still had the majority over my grandmother."

"How did Lila get so many shares anyway?" Francis wanted to know.

"When Edward learned about Solieto laundering money my grandfather had to shift a good portion of the company's shares to Lila. That way if the government locked him out, then she could take over. He never bothered to take them back because my grandmother doesn't involve herself in how he ran things." Jason had gotten a history lesson when the sale was completed. He had insisted on buying the stock, and his grandmother was donating the money to her charity.

"He had a silent partner whose reputation was above reproach." Johnny saw how smart that was.

"Exactly." Jason nodded his head. "I think he also thought that she would just continue to turn a blind eye to what he was doing because she hadn't spoken up in so long."

"Why did she stay silent?" Francis wanted to know.

"In Ned's case he originally wanted to be a part of ELQ. He grew up listening to Tracy upsell the company. It wasn't until Edward started his games with AJ that Ned grew dissatisfied and decided to pursue other interests. I think meeting Lois helped him to admit that he did have other dreams to pursue. AJ was another matter. Lila did speak up, and Monica told her to mind her business. That she was capable of raising her son without interference. I think my stepmother was all about beating Tracy at something and she was happy to use AJ to do it." Jason had learned so much about his family from this.

"That's messed up." Was all Johnny could say.

"It is. It's also a typical Quartermaine move. Edward felt that he didn't have to listen to Lila because Monica wasn't stopping him. Alan was career focused, and drinking, so he wasn't present enough to protect my brother." Jason was kind of glad he couldn't remember that time period. It couldn't feel good pulling up those memories.

"Making a move now is smart. Edward thinks he's been flying under the radar and this will catch him off guard." Francis got up and refilled his coffee cup but kept talking. "When are you going to drop the ELQ bomb?"

"Once court lets out." Jason figured that the sooner his grandfather was benched the better. "I'm taking Elizabeth out to dinner tonight, because she is too pretty to keep in the house. Edward will take it to mean that I'm not concerned he was in London, and that Jax is on his own now. Brian has already passed along the report that Jax is nervous about the trip."

Jason was taking Elizabeth out to celebrate the completion of the first issue of her second series. They were also celebrating the first meeting with the architect last week. The blue prints would be coming to the penthouse in two weeks for them to review. Elizabeth had done most of the talking for them during the meeting, but that just meant no one ended up frustrated.

"What was your grandfather's response?" Johnny looked between Jason and Francis.

"Edward said that Jax was smarter than his father." Francis thought that was a supremely arrogant statement.

"I expect that we will be in court no later than two days from tomorrow." Jason told his friends. "I need to call Diane and find out how much information she wants."

"Knowing my wife she will say none." Francis said laughing. "She likes to show off how unstoppable she is."

"Considering that she is unstoppable I have no problem with that." Jason said laughing. "She may want the recordings if nothing else."

"I just realized that technically we haven't broken any laws." Johnny remarked chuckling. "The only thing we've done is respond to all of Edward's moves. Even the recording is legal because both New Mexico and New York have one party consent laws." Basically that meant that as long as one person in the conversation knew the recording was happening then it could legally be admitted to court. There were more parts to the law but that was all they cared about. Logan knew so they were covered. "How the hell did that happen?"

"No clue, but let's try to make sure it doesn't happen again. We do have reputations to uphold." Jason said laughing. "I'm throwing you guys out now."

"Why?" Johnny asked to be difficult.

"I have a meeting with Dominique Stanton." Jason looked over at the clock to see how much time he had left. His call to her this morning was why he was late.

"Really? Do tell." Francis was curious and not bothering to hide it. They didn't mingle much with supermodels. That had been Sonny's thing. He probably would have loved Brenda.

"I'm offering her the CEO position at Deception." Jason would have mentioned this at some point.

"Skye is moving to ELQ?" Francis didn't need Jason to say the words, and he thought that was a smart decision. Skye was more than capable of running the company, and it kept the business in the family.

"Damn, she's gonna make you a mint." Johnny had a lot of respect for her business sense.

"Nope. I don't own stock in the company." Jason said grinning. "There's no need to subject my sister to that here too." When he first took over Deception it got audited three years in a row and the auditors went through everything with a fine tooth comb. The cosmetics company wasn't a front so they didn't find anything. Realizing that, and facing a lawsuit for harassment, they finally left him alone.

"You own the hospital now." Johnny remarked looking at his friend with a smirk. "You are your parents' boss. Awkward."

"Only for the moment. I'm selling it." Jason had no interest in branching out into patient care. Too much of a headache. Jax had already agreed to purchase the hospital. The deal netted Jason the pharmaceutical division of Quartermaine Industries and a smaller cash payout. This would keep the two companies from competing with one another in that area. "Okay get out. Johnny, Elizabeth wants to talk to you at some point about M.O. Gene file."

"Have her call me." The Irishman said following Francis out the door.

* * *

Edward sat at his desk and reviewed the paperwork that he brought back with him from London. They were the beginning of bringing AJ's company into ELQ. "Brian, come in here."

"Yes sir?" Brian didn't take long to respond.

"I need you to file these papers somewhere secure. No one can see them." Edward told his assistant. In his hands was the proof that ELQ now owned all the stock in Quartermaine International that Jax didn't.

At the end of this week Claire was going to file the papers on behalf of the McKennas. She was going to do it just before family court ended for the day so that Diane Miller didn't have time to respond until the following week. While Jason was occupied with that, Edward would have a meeting with Jax and let him know he had a new partner.

On Monday there was going to be an exclusive on the newest member of the family in the paper. Claire might not think that targeting Elizabeth was going to work for them, but he knew better. He'd been playing this game a lot longer than his attorney. Edward knew that the more hits your opponent took the weaker they became. Or in Jason's case the more distracted.

When he wasn't trying to gather information on Lucky and Siobhan, his grandson would be comforting his wife. Edward just wished that there was more dirt to be found on the woman herself. Elizabeth was frustratingly clean. She didn't have any skeletons that he could drag out into the light. There were no past crimes to expose, and no secrets to reveal. The dead sister and junkie brother were it. So he would make the most of that.

This week would be filled with him making sure everything was ready to go. Next week would be busier. There would be a lot of activity as he dealt with Jason's response. So this week Edward was going to leave work every night at five so he could focus on Lila. He'd been so busy the last few weeks they hadn't spent much time together. The coming weeks would be the same, so he would make the most of any free time he had.

He would catch up on what he missed while away and then head out to lunch where he hoped to see Jax. This would be one of the last times the Australian had anything to smile over. With that thought in his Edward turned his attention to the stocks. There was a company in Utah he might want to acquire.

* * *

"Dominique, have a seat." Jason pointed to the chair in front of his desk. "Coffee?"

"Yes please." She looked around the office. It was a very Jason space. Extremely minimal.

Jason waited until Angie had taken care of his guest before taking a seat. "I wanted to offer you the CEO position at Deception."

Dominique paused with her coffee cup halfway to her mouth. She put the cup on the edge of Jason's desk and looked at him. "That is not at all what I was expecting you to say." She admitted clearly shocked.

"What were you expecting?" Jason wanted to know.

"I did think you were going to offer me a position in the cosmetics company. With my background it makes sense." Dominique let him know. "I just assumed it would be in public relations, or advertising. I'm a good fit for both those departments."

"Given your background you are also a good fit to run the company. You spent pretty much the last twenty years in makeup. Day in and day out. You know what's good, and what isn't. All the time you've spent in front of the camera has given you the knowledge of what sells and who buys it. You know the best photographers and the hottest models. What you don't have is the business background, or at least not in corporate America." Jason went down the list of why she was suited to run the company. "I saw an article that you gave on the modeling industry. You did a breakdown of how things work. How the money is made and where it goes. You have more of a business mind than you think. Just needing to protect yourself from vultures in the industry made you smart. Anything you don't know can be learned as you go."

"I don't think I've ever heard you say that much at once." Dominique said smiling a little. Jax often said that Jason was smarter than most people realized. Her boyfriend's insight was correct. "Are you offering me this job as a favor to Jax?" She had to ask. Since she really wanted the position, now that it was being offered to her, she hoped not.

"I don't like Jax enough to potentially lose money." Jason told the former model. "I'm in business to make a profit, not to make friends."

Dominique nodded her understanding. "Why are you replacing your sister?"

"That's not open to discussion." Jason wasn't talking about anything other than the job on the table.

"Fair enough." Dominique got that even if she took over the cosmetics company then she wasn't privy to any other part of his business empire. Which was fine.

"You will be signing a non-disclosure agreement which means you can't discuss proprietary issues with Jax." Jason didn't want to cause waves in her relationship.

"Understood." Dominique wasn't surprised by that decree. It helped that the beauty industry was not one that Jax was interested in. "I won't have a problem with that. Nor will he." They had already discussed that if she worked for Jason that she probably wouldn't be able to talk much about it.

"I don't care if you discuss general business practices." Jason wasn't going to make it so she couldn't share anything. Having support was always a good thing, and she could get that from Jax.

"I know what you mean. I've walked in enough fashion shows where the designer kept items under wraps for the wow factor." She had even stood in at wedding gown fittings for a high profile public figure who was keeping her nuptials a secret. To this day she hadn't said a word about that. Dominique could keep her mouth shut.

Jason nodded and put the phone on speaker. "I'll have an official offer sent to your hotel room this afternoon." He spoke while the phone rang. "You can think it over."

"This is Skye." She was in her office.

"It's Jason. I'm here with Dominique." He told his sister.

"Hello." Skye was smiling and hoped that came through in her voice.

"Hello." Dominique hadn't ever met Skye, but she knew about her. Everyone in the industry knew when a company changed leadership. It didn't hurt at all when the new leader made a profitable company even more so. Dominque would have big shoes to fill.

"I have been speaking, briefly, about the CEO position with Dominique." Jason explained why he was calling.

Skye could easily imagine just how brief he had been. "Dominique would you like to come over so that we can talk as well?" Since Jason mentioned the former model might be calling Skye had cleared her calendar for the day. "I can show you around and maybe provide more in depth answers to any questions you might have."

"That would be lovely." Dominique could get a better sense of the job.

"Did you drive here?" Jason asked the woman in his office.

"Car from the hotel." She answered while shaking her head no. Jax hadn't purchased a place to live yet. He was hoping they could do that together.

"I'll arrange transportation for you. The car will wait and take you back to the hotel when you are done." Jason reached for the landline since he had used his cell to call his sister. "Dominique will be there shortly."

"My assistant will be outside waiting for you." Skye said ending the call.

"Thank you for coming in." Jason stood up as Angie entered the office. "My assistant will take you down to the car." He extended his hand. "You can call me, or Skye, about the offer."

"Thank you." Dominique appreciated the handshake. Most men didn't even offer. "I will be in touch."

Jason watched both ladies go and then sat back down. He needed to review a proposal for the expansion at the casino. It would keep his mind off of everything else that was going on.

* * *

"Am I allowed to say that you aren't paying me enough?" Logan asked handing over the altered recording.

"You certainly are." Francis said popping the CD into his computer.

"We aren't going to give you any more money." Johnny said with a cheeky grin. "We might give you some of Liz's brownies, which are worth their weight in gold."

"We probably won't though." Francis was also grinning. "Because those things are good. Too good to share."

"If I help them get custody she might send me my own brownies." Logan was a chocolate fiend and he had heard the guys talk about the squares before.

"We're ready." Francis tapped the keyboard and Logan's voice filled the room followed by Luke and occasionally Lucky. They listened to the entire ten minute discussion three times. You couldn't tell that the conversation was incomplete, and it sounded like Luke was planning a con. Like he was sending his son to New York so they could basically sell Michael to Edward if they got custody. "Perfect." The Italian said grinning.

Johnny was also grinning and thinking that Logan had just earned himself an even bigger bonus. There was no way this wouldn't get everyone called into court sooner rather than later.

"Edward wants to meet me this afternoon. He said he has a quick job. I'm thinking that it has something to do with the report I gave to Brian on Liz." Logan let them know. "I'll have more info for you later."

"If I'm not available Johnny will be." Francis had a meeting later.

Logan just nodded before heading out.

"He and Cooper were invaluable." Johnny watched as Francis wiped the disc down and then put it in the sleeve before sliding it into an addressed envelope. A runner would take it over to the CPS building and it would find its way to Betsy Chilson's desk after she left for the day.

"They were." Francis said nodding his head. "I hope this means that this part is over. It never should have started in the first place." Edward had pissed him off. Francis didn't have any family outside of Port Charles and to watch the older man throw his away had left the mobster angered.

"Me too." Johnny could tell his friend was upset and he knew why. "Jason and Liz will both relax with this behind them. "I'll be in my office if you need me."

Francis nodded and reached for his phone to call the runner.

* * *

"Thank you." Jason said before placing a kiss on his wife's temple. They were in the elevator riding down to the garage to begin their night out. He had worn his dark brown suit for their dinner out not only because she really wanted to see him in it, but also to apologize for the fact that their evening out was being crashed.

"I'm your wife and schmoozing is part of that." Liz said with a bright smile. "I'm just glad this last minute business dinner was not accompanied by a phone call telling me we were having company. That will get you in a lot of trouble. Entertaining at home must come with a minimum of forty-eight hours' notice." She warned with an arched brow.

"I own a restaurant. We won't be entertaining at home." He let her know. While he would need to have meetings in the penthouse, and then their new house, from time to time he wasn't hosting business associates in their private space. The guys and their ladies didn't count. Nor did Jax and Dominique, who if they came over it would be as friends.

"I'm going to hold you to that." Liz said as the doors opened and they walked to the car. "Do you think Em is going to kidnap Michael while we are gone?"

Jason was laughing as he got behind the wheel. Marco and Rory would follow them. "She was awfully excited when she learned we wouldn't be home during her visit." She had called from work saying Matt had a late night and she would like to spend some time with Michael. Jason checked with Nadine who said it was fine, and told his sister to come over. "I'm not too worried. I think our nanny can take my sister."

"Who picked the restaurant?" Liz wanted to know. They were dining down on the waterfront. She had expected to go to either Polluzo's or Club 101.

"Jax called and asked if we could eat there. Dominique wanted to go. He mentioned it during one of our many calls. The former head chef at Club 101 owns it, and he wants to support her new business. The guys checked it out and said it was safe." Jason had it on his radar for date night anyway.

"Since we are celebrating Dominique accepting the CEO position then we should go somewhere that she and Jax picked." Liz flipped down the visor and checked her face. All her makeup was from Deception and had been since she moved to Port Charles.

Jason nodded as he pulled up in front of the restaurant. Some of his guys were already here and one of them came over to get the car. After he parked Elizabeth leaned over. "I really like you in that suit. You're like my own chocolate bar." She dropped him a wink and smiled. Before Jason could respond Marco was opening her door and helping her out of the vehicle before escorting her into the restaurant. Jason had to take a minute before he could follow and arrived in time to see his sister hugging his wife.

* * *

"Back in yellow." Skye said taking in Liz's dress. "Did Carolyn send this?"

"No. I actually got this one on my own." Liz said laughing. The yellow was a vivid hue with cap sleeves and hugged her curves. The v neckline was on the higher side but that was offset by a slash on the left shoulder that showed teasing glimpses of skin. That detail took the dress from boring to edgy and had caught her eye. She paired it with nude heels, the pearls from Lila, and her wedding set. "You look amazing. I like that you are showing off your bump."

"I want everyone to see it." Skye was in midnight blue and her dress was form fitting enough that there was no doubt she was pregnant. The color was a good counter point to Cody who was in grey.

"I love those earrings." Liz said admiring the drop diamond and sapphire jewelry.

"Lila gave them to me. I've been dying to wear them." Skye had cried her eyes out when her grandmother gifted them to her.

"The private dining room is ready. We can wait for the rest of our party there." Cody wanted his boss and the ladies somewhere less public. When Jason nodded the enforcer summoned the hostess.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	52. Chapter 52

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

Not Safe For Work

* * *

Chapter 52

Skye made a trip to the ladies room and when she walked out of the lounge she found herself face to face with Alan and Monica. "Hello." She could honestly say they were the last people she expected to run into this evening.

"Skye." Monica took the lead. "You look lovely." It was clear that her stepdaughter was expecting. "Congratulations."

"Thank you." Skye was feeling awkward, this was not how she wanted them to learn they were going to be grandparents again. A small voice in the back of her head piped up to remind her that if they had returned her recent calls she could have told them then.

"How far along are you?" Alan wanted to kick himself because he had been meaning to call her back for a few days now but hadn't actually done so. The baby bump was visible proof that they were still falling down at the parenting job.

"Just over sixteen weeks." Skye placed a hand on her tummy and smiled.

"Do you have a gender?" Alan asked happy that she was happy.

"Not at the moment. No." Skye let them know. "So what brings you out?"

"Celebrating the end of the application season with some of our staff." Monica said with a wide smile. "All the spots are filled, which means that we can focus on being doctors and running the hospital for the rest of the summer." Come the fall they would add teacher to that list.

"That means we will have time for lunch." Alan cautiously extended the invitation understanding they were running out of chances to get this right.

"I'd like that. My schedule is going to be tight as business is taking me in an unexpected direction but I'll find time for us to have lunch, or maybe dinner." Skye was still willing to try.

"Dinner would be great, then Cody could possibly join us." Monica understood that they needed to rebuild bridges there as well.

"Is that what brings you out tonight? Work?" Alan was guessing it was either that or some other sort of celebration. She was dressed up so he was thinking this was more than a casual weeknight dinner. As if on cue the door to the private dining room opened. Cody stepped into the hall and so did Jason.

"It's fine." Skye told the guys. She figured the guard on the door must have alerted Cody and Jason about what was going on. Which made her wonder if her guy or her brother had labeled Alan and Monica as a threat. Life with such overprotective males could be tricky at times.

Both men ignored her and walked over to where the conversation was taking place. Skye just managed to not roll her eyes. This was not necessary because she had the situation under control. In fact she was just about to wrap the conversation up because she was in the middle of dinner, so the guys were welcome to stand there and look handsome.

"Congratulations on the baby." Alan told Cody, and extended his hand.

For a moment the former solider was surprised. He couldn't remember ever shaking Alan's hand before. He didn't leave the older man hanging. He returned the gesture, one that in his opinion came too late. Still Cody would support his girl, and their child having a relationship with her parents. Only because that was what Skye wanted. "Thank you."

Monica had blinked in surprise when Jason walked out of the room. Not that he was in a restaurant, but because he was in a suit. It was a rare look for him. Based on his body language he had been braced to find his sister upset, that's how these encounters generally ended in the past. "Jason."

"Monica. Alan." He was wondering why there were here, but not enough to ask. Skye wasn't upset which mean Cody wouldn't be. That was the only reason Jason came out, to keep his fourth in command from killing someone in public.

"Is Elizabeth here?" Alan wanted to know. While they had planned on calling Skye to schedule time together, their daughter in-law hadn't even been on their radar. Which sounded really horrible. They figured that no relationship building in that area could happen until custody was settled.

"In the private dining room, we are in the middle of a business dinner." Jason told his parents.

"We need to get back to that." Skye told Alan and Monica. "I'll call you about my schedule." This wasn't the time or place for a longer conversation. Plus the longer they were out here the higher the chance Alan would say something he shouldn't and erase their forward momentum.

Jason took the hint and returned to the dining room, Cody would come back with Skye. Nodding to the guard he conveyed the silent message to keep an eye on the conversation, just in case things went downhill. Drama in the family tended to go from zero to five hundred in a blink of the eye.

* * *

Cody's phone beeped and the next thing Liz knew he and Jason were leaving the dining room. With Skye absent that had her a little worried, but her husband gave her shoulder a slight squeeze as he walked past. Alone with Dominique and Jax she took over as hostess until her sister returned. "So how was your tour of Deception this afternoon?"

"Very informative." Dominique turned her full attention to Liz. "I met a lot of people which will put my memory skills to the test." She said with a smile. In her job, and as Jax's girlfriend, she often met people so matching names to faces was a well-honed talent. "One of the things I got to see was the prototype for the packaging Deception will be using for World AIDS Day." That was in December but everything still needed to be produced and bundled so the process had to start now to get it on shelves in time. "You did an amazing job."

"Thank you. I've helped with that for the past few years and it's always a privilege. If what I designed doesn't fit in with the direction you want to go I will understand you bringing in another artist. I'll also understand if next year you decide to go with someone else. I don't want you to think because I'm Jason's wife you have to use what I create." Liz also produced the invitation for the Nurses' Ball for Lila's foundation which was the main sponsor of the Nurses' Ball. So involvement would still happen.

"That box is too lovely to not use." Dominique told Liz. "I just was never aware that you were behind the designs for the past few years. I have purchased something from this line every year to support the cause. I still use the limited edition boxes to store items in my bathroom because they are that nice." Skye also said Liz worked for free, and in a business you saved pennies where you could.

"I do what I can to help." Liz smiled at the compliment. "Are you nervous about taking over?" She shifted the conversation back to Dominique.

"I am. I should be. This is something vastly different than I've ever done before. Elton will be a life saver, I actually felt a little guilty because he should probably have this job." Dominique could admit that.

"He's not interested in the position. Skye can explain further." Liz wouldn't go further because Jax was in the room and she didn't know what Jason may or may not have shared.

"Did you need assistance?" Jason returned to the room in time to hear his wife's statement. After sitting he gently rubbed her back, because he liked touching her and to let her know everything was fine.

"We were talking about why Elton isn't taking over for Skye." Liz brought him up to speed.

"Your lovely wife was very gracious in how she phrased I can't say because Jax is in the room." The Australian said making everyone at the table laugh.

"What couldn't you say?" Skye asked as she walked back in with Cody. Since he was on his feet she gave her brother a quick kiss on the check. Having family that would drop everything to come to your aide was a new thing for her, and it felt great.

"Elton's future with the company." Liz said trying not to laugh at Jason's slight blush.

"This afternoon you were a job candidate so I couldn't speak on it. Now you are the future CEO so it's fine." Skye took her seat as she spoke. She knew Dominique was going to take the job once they finished their afternoon together. Jason's offer would have had to have been horrible for the former model to say no. "Deception is expanding again. We started opening our very own boutiques here in the states early last year. This year we opened some in Canada. Next year we are planning on taking over Europe." They were shifting to a more individualized sales approach where they could do makeovers and teach classes. Skye had considered department store counters but she wanted more exposure and the gamble paid off. "Someone is going to need to be overseas full time to manage that expansion. Elton wants it to be him, and frankly I planned on making it him." Right now he was in charge of the North American division, taking over Europe and making decisions on his own would be a huge promotion. "You can of course make your own decision. I haven't promised him the position."

"I'm sure that Jason will sit down and talk with me when it's time to make the final choice." Dominique understood what Skye meant, but odds were good that decision would not change.

"I don't interfere in the running of Deception. There isn't even a board of trustees. You will be in control, and I'll pay you a lot of money so that you don't regularly call me to make decisions." Jason told his new CEO.

Skye just smiled, because her brother told her the same thing at one point. Jason was easy to work for and after hiring two female CEOs he was going to be seen as pretty progressive. "We aren't throwing you in the deep end of the pool without a life preserver. I'll be around through the transition and then I'll be around in general. That is one of the perks of me moving to a new job in the same town." Although Dominique wouldn't need to be supported for long. Her instincts were sharp and Skye thought she was going to do fantastic.

"We should have a toast." Liz said looking over at Jason. Her hubby got the message and went to find the waiter. "Lots of good things are happening."

"That they are." Skye figured her new position would be announced soon because Cody had this intensity about him lately. She was guessing the game Edward set in motion was almost over. Then the family could settle down and wait for the next crisis to pop up.

* * *

"So, what happened in the restaurant?" Liz wanted to know. They were in the car driving home. If they got this conversation out of the way then she could jump him fairly soon after they arrived at the penthouse.

"Skye ran into Monica and Alan." Jason looked over at his wife when they stopped at a red light.

Liz opened her mouth, and then closed it again.

"You'll hurt yourself if you hold it in." Jason said laughing.

"They haven't called her back because they are super busy at work, but they can find the time to have dinner out? Why didn't they call to see if Skye was available to join them? They are saying one thing, but their actions are not backing up the words. And yes Skye would have mentioned your parents wanting to take her out to dinner when you called to say you were taking out Dominique to welcome her onboard." Liz crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back in the seat.

"You're sexy when you get all hot like that." Jason said grinning. He had plans for his lovely wife that involved her wearing a whole lot of nothing. "Cody said they were with the hospital staff."

She smiled at him. "They still need to do better." Liz said letting the topic drop because they were home.

Jason didn't say anything because he completely agreed.

* * *

"Michael is sleeping." Nadine said as they came through the door.

"Did Emily have a nice visit?" Jason asked the nanny.

"She did." Nadine smiled because it was clear Michael was going to get a lot of love growing up. After her visit the doctor had sat and chatted. They got to know one another better which was nice.

"I'm going to go check on the kid. Good night." Jason said to Nadine.

"Liz, I was wondering if you were going to need me this Sunday." It was her normal day off but Nadine wanted to check.

"I don't expect so." Liz told the other woman as they walked to the door. "If you have plans I can make sure to not need you."

"I have a date." Nadine just wanted to share the news with someone.

"I can guarantee you that I won't need you." Liz was happy for the other woman.

"Thanks. Night." Nadine was looking forward to time with Renaldo. "I'll see you in the morning."

"In the morning. Good night." Liz locked up and went to find her hubby.

"How is he?" Liz asked Jason who was leaning on the doorjamb of their room.

"Sleeping. Go kiss on him." Jason stood up and kissed her.

"Give me a minute." Liz went down the hall and kicked off her shoes before entering the nursery. Her son was stretched out akimbo on his back. He was just too adorable. Leaning over she kissed his forehead. "I love you Michael. Sleep well."

With that done Elizabeth closed the door behind her and grabbed her shoes. She opened the door to her bedroom and stopped to take in the sight in front of her. Jason had stripped down while she was down the hall and was now lying on the bed totally naked.

"Come join me." He said patting the empty space next to him.

Walking over she put her shoes on the chest at the end of the bed. Reaching behind her she unzipped her dress and let it slide down her body. Her underwear went next and then she crawled across the mattress before stretching out. "Hi."

"I love how well you follow directions." Jason put his hand on her hip and pulled her forward until they were touching.

"Anything else you want me to do?" Liz asked placing kisses on his upper chest. "If not I have something I'd like you to do."

"Is that right?" He left his hand move over her curves. "That sounds intriguing." Jason lifted his head so her lips could move over his neck. When she placed a hand on his shoulder and pushed he rolled to his back in answer to her silent request.

She straddled his hips and looked down at him. "Would you like to know what I want?"

"Please tell me." Jason said with a sly smile. "I'd be happy to give it to you if I can."

"That's perfect, because I want you to let me have you." Liz said as she lightly scored his chest with her nails. She kept them short for work so scratching him wouldn't happen. It was just enough pressure to make him shiver. Leaning forward she stopped just shy of letting her lips touch his, so close that she could feel him breathing. "Can I have you Jason?"

"I'm all yours." His voice was rough with his arousal because she already had him hard as a spike. He liked that she had no problem taking control. He also had no doubt that whatever happened was going to be enjoyable for them both.

Elizabeth brushed her lips lightly over his and when he raised his head to demand more pressure she moved. "Be still." She commanded before dropping kisses along his jaw. From there she moved down the column of his neck, putting her lips in the hollow of his throat she hummed a little letting the vibrations sink into his skin. The path down his body continued until she reached his pecs and unable to resist she opened her mouth and sucked on his nipple.

"Son of a bitch." Jason said fisting his fingers in her hair. No one had ever done this to him before and he was surprised at how good it felt. Just like with her the tight skin was an erogenous zone. He could feel her mouth all over his body. When she switched sides he was pretty sure his eyes crossed.

Liz had to hold back the laughter at his reaction. It probably never even occurred to him that her mouth there would feel so good. Now they both knew and she would make sure to remember that. It was all about mutual pleasure. Her mouth moved over his abs and the taunt muscles jumped.

As she moved down his body Jason's sense of anticipation rose. No matter how many times she did this for him that would always be the case. However him looking forward to her mouth on his cock in no way took away from the pleasure that he got from her mouth on the rest of his body. She could kiss him wherever she liked, whenever she liked. Hell after tonight he might beg her to.

She stopped when she reached his center, but she didn't immediately make the move he was expecting. Instead Elizabeth let her fingers move over his muscular thighs and down his legs stroking the skin. As she stroked back toward his hips she leaned over and placed a kiss on the tip of his cock. Which made him groan and raise his hips slightly. Her next kiss was on the side of his rock hard shaft and again he bucked beneath her.

"Feel good?" Liz wanted to know.

"So good." Jason didn't hesitate to answer. "Don't stop."

"I have no intention of stopping." Liz assured him as her fingers continued to move over his legs. "No intention at all." With that announcement she moved to the other side of his cock and placed her lips against the velvety soft skin this time sucking lightly.

Jason could only groan at the way that felt. It was like every nerve ending in his body ended under her lips. Staying still was becoming more trying the longer she sucked on him. When he thought he was going to break she lifted her head and his body came back from the edge.

One hand moved from his leg and gripped his shaft, stroking slowly. When a drop of pre-cum formed on the tip she licked it off and deciding that she was ready to move on opened her mouth to take him in deep. She didn't suck right away, just let her lips move over his soft skin while her tongue swirled around his sweet spot. His groans and the tightening of his fingers in her hair said he was enjoying himself. That spurred her on so she started sucking.

Jason was done. She'd had him riding the edge since she kissed his mouth. He had tried to hold back but it just wasn't happening. He didn't even have time to warn her, he just exploded on a deep groan. When he felt her mouth pulling on him and drawing every single drop of his release out he damn near blacked out the pleasure was so intense.

Lifting her head Liz was quite satisfied with herself. When he looked at her she licked her lips. "You taste good." She said dropping him and wink and then laughing when his head fell back to the bed.

"Give me a minute." Jason wasn't sure he could move.

"That's not necessary." Liz had intended tonight to be about him. In the morning he could take care of her. She put her head on his shoulder and relaxed.

"Yes it is." Jason let her know. "I spent most of dinner thinking about getting you home and having you. Although I'm not sure I'm what I do will be as good as what you just did." She had blown him away.

"Doing that for you made me hot." She could admit that. "You can save the need to impress me for another night." Fast would totally work for her right now. They could go slow at a later date.

He got that she was on the edge and he could help her with that. Leaning over he took her mouth as his hands moved down her body. He took a moment to let his fingers play with her nipples before gliding over her toned tummy and covering her core. She was drenched and his fingers were instantly coated with her honey. Being careful not to hurt her he stroked the bundle of nerves at her center. Lightly at first before adding more pressure. Twisting his wrist he pushed one, and then two fingers deep inside her body. Curling the digits he stroked faster.

"Yes." Liz arched hard silently asking for more pressure. He immediately gave her what she needed. Her hips moved in time to the rhythm his hand was setting. Jason had large hands so this felt amazing. When he stroked over her g-spot she let out a small scream. She was so close, and it wouldn't take much more for her to peak.

He could feel her muscles pulse around his fingers which signaled she was almost there. Capturing a nipple between his lips he sucked it into his mouth and pressed the hard flesh against the roof. Letting the ridges add another layer of sensation.

"YES!" Liz cried out before she feel into bliss. His hand didn't stop and her orgasm kept rolling through her taking her higher still until she peaked a second time.

Jason stayed with her, reading the signals her body was sending out. When she needed him to slow down he did. He helped her float down from her high before removing his fingers from her core. When her eyes fluttered open he popped the digits into his mouth. "Sweet." Because turnabout was fair play.

"You are so bad." She knew what he was doing.

"I know." Jason just laughed. "I'm too tired to shower."

"In the morning." Liz said letting him cover her up.

"Perfect." Jason turned out the light and they cuddled up.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	53. Chapter 53

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 53

"Morgan." Jason was sitting in his office going over the budget for his newest project. He wanted to build a new little league stadium and then donate it to the city. From what he'd heard the current one had fallen into disrepair. The architect who was working on their house sent someone out from his firm to have a look around, and that report should be done at some point this week.

"Go home and get dressed for court. A suit, and a tie. I already called your wife so she should be at the penthouse when you arrive. Have her look you over before you leave." Diane was in her car, since she had a guard who could drive talking on the phone wasn't an issue. "Be at courtroom 312 in the Family Justice Center in no more than forty-five minutes."

Jason started clearing his desk. Since it was after lunch that would be easy because he hadn't even taken his laptop yet. The numbers Bernie had sent snagged Jason's immediate attention. Although he didn't know for sure he was going to guess that this had something to do with the recording that Betsy Chilson received. "I'm leaving now."

"I don't know exactly what you did, but I am really hoping that it works in our favor." He said he had something he wanted her to listen to and she had said no. Diane could roll with the punches, and Jason was smart. Probably the smartest client that she'd ever had. Something in her gut was saying that whatever he did was going to put the case to rest today.

"I hope it does as well." Jason was heading for the door. The odds had been heavily stacked in their favor, but nothing was ever one hundred percent guaranteed. "I'll see you there." He got behind the wheel and pulled out of his space.

* * *

The ride over was short and Nadine was sitting in the living room when he walked in. "Liz is upstairs." The nanny wasn't exactly sure what was going on, but both her bosses seemed charged up.

"We have been summoned to court." Jason took a minute to explain. He wasn't sure if Elizabeth did so or not. More than likely she would have said something after getting dressed.

"Good luck." Nadine was surprised when she was told that not even ten minutes ago. She still had yet to be interviewed. Hopefully Michael wasn't about to leave a home where he got so much love.

"Thanks." Jason took the stairs two at a time. He went to the nursery to kiss on his son before going to the master suite.

"Your suit is in the bathroom. You don't have time to shower, but you can shave if you need to." Liz's voice floated out from the closet.

"Okay." Jason did touch up his shave, he also brushed his teeth before getting into his suit pants, shirt, and tie. Satisfied he went into the bedroom to put on his socks and shoes. His wife was putting on makeup and doing final touches. "This should go in our favor."

"What if it doesn't?" Liz looked at him in the mirror. She was praying for good news but needed to know he had a plan for if the opposite happened.

"I have it covered." Jason let her know. They weren't losing Michael.

"Okay." Liz slipped into her shoes and gave him a look over. They were ready. "Diane said to leave Michael here."

Jason just nodded. If things went south then by the time CPS got to the penthouse Michael would be gone. They would go right from the courthouse to a private plane, and the three of them would simply vanish. Edward was not going to win. "We should head out."

"Yeah. We should." Liz took her husband's hand and gave it a squeeze. This was going to be okay. Nothing else bore thinking about.

* * *

"Mr. Quartermaine." Claire Walsh had been doing nothing for the past week but prepping her clients for court. The rate at which they had absorbed the information that she gave them, the copious amount of information, had her wondering just where Edward found them. Mrs. McKenna also seemed to have trouble deciding where she was from. The woman had three different accents in the past five days. Claire was beginning to be very happy that she had such a fierce adversary in Diane. The loss was going to sting even less, because there was no way Michael should be with her clients.

"Yes." Edward had spent the morning working on what he wanted the story about Elizabeth to say. Once it was done he would procure newspaper space. With several friends owning such businesses that wouldn't be a problem.

"We are being summoned into court. You need to be in the Family Justice Center, in courtroom 312, in thirty minutes." Claire had learned from experience that it was best to tell your clients to arrive early. "Is there something you need to share with me before we go into the session?"

"I haven't done anything." Recently, he left unsaid. Edward leaned back in his leather chair. He had been focused on AJ's company all of last week.

"Do you know if your grandson has done anything?" Claire was in her hotel suite waiting for the McKennas to arrive so she could look over their outfits. Edward had sent them shopping on his dime, so they would look polished when they loss.

"No." Edward didn't have a source in CPS or Family Court. Since Michael's arrival he had Brian working to get information, but both sectors were proving difficult to infiltrate. Edward was hoping that since these were areas that Jason didn't normally deal with, his grandson was in the same boat. "I can make some calls."

"Not now. Save that for after court if necessary." Claire told him. "I don't want you late to the proceedings. This could be nothing more than the judge wanting a look at everyone." Although that would be unusual since she hadn't filed papers yet. Right now the Morgans were the only ones the judge should be aware of. There was a knock on her door. "I have to go. See you in court."

"See you there." Edward said absently as he hung up giving the summons some thought. His gut was telling him this wasn't going to be good for him.

* * *

Diane was in the hall with Sal when she spotted her clients walking up the corridor. The attorney took a moment to give them a critical looking over. She wanted to find flaws, and was coming up blank.

Liz was in a classic shift dress. Azure blue, with no sleeves that stopped right at her knees. It was a look that business women all over the globe embraced and was perfect for court. Her shoes were a deeper blue and gave her some height, they also gave the outfit a punch of color. The accessories were just her wedding set and her earrings from Lila. In other words they were perfect for the image they were going for. Hiding that the Morgans had money wasn't the issue, Diane wanted them to convey class.

Jason was wearing a summer wool suit that was fitted to perfection. He was in midnight blue which complimented and simultaneously contrasted his wife's outfit. The fact that he looked so good in suits really gave Diane fits at times because the man refused to wear them unless he had no choice. The fashionista in her thought that was just wrong.

They looked good. A young successful married couple who were ready to be parents. The fact that they were holding hands was just icing on the cake. "You made good time." She looked at her watch. They would be going inside in ten minutes.

"Are our opponents here?" Jason wanted to know.

"Don't even think about them. No glaring in the courtroom." Diane told her client. "In fact don't even glance at the other side of the room." The attorney was looking down the hall again at the newest arrival.

"I wasn't sure I was going to make it." Skye was breathing hard from the quick walk through the building. "Emily should be here shortly. She let me get out of the car first."

"Sit down." Jason steered his sister toward a bench. "You didn't need to rush."

"I'm pretty sure they are going to lock the doors once court starts." Skye watched as Liz, and Marco, walked toward a row of vending machines. More than likely to get a bottle of water. "I'm okay. I didn't even break a sweat." Although yeah her blood pressure was up some due to worry.

"I wasn't expecting you." Jason squatted down in front of her.

"Edward will be here. You need a cheering section too." Skye had gotten a call from Liz. The almost former CEO of Deception had then called Em who was off today.

Jason just grinned and took the bottle of water Elizabeth was holding out. He opened it and then handed it to his sister as Em walked up. She took a seat and grabbed Skye's wrist. "No higher, or I'm making you go home and put your feet up after Jason and Liz win." The doctor told her sister.

"We don't know that's what this is." Liz told Emily also looking Skye over. It wouldn't be surprising if Cody was waiting when they were done. The guys wouldn't be here now because Jason didn't want to remind the judge of his reputation.

Skye didn't say anything, but she was thinking that custody was going to be decided today. There really wasn't any other reason to call them into court early. If that was the case then either Edward or Jason had done something. She was guessing Jason.

Emily didn't say anything but she was thinking along the same lines as Skye. Today had been a great day so far. She and Matt got some really great news. If she was the type of person who believed in omens then she would say that good streak was not going to be broken. She wanted to be here when Jason and Liz got custody.

The bailiff opened the door which meant they could enter. Skye and Emily went in to give Jason, Liz, and Diane some privacy. "Sit right behind me, and don't speak unless directly addressed by the judge. I've yet to see a curveball in court I couldn't handle, so we will be fine." She told her clients. "The important thing is not to let Edward get under your skin." The attorney picked up her briefcase. "And Jason you should let your wife dress you more often." Diane couldn't resist the quip before walking into the courtroom.

Liz tried not to laugh. "We should go sit down."

"Yeah we should." Jason responded shaking his head at his attorney.

* * *

Dara Jensen walked into the courtroom and looked at the two attorneys facing her. She had lived in Port Charles for a long time, and had been part of the legal system since graduating from college. First as an ADA, and then as a judge. She had run unsuccessfully for DA twice. Both times she lost because of a person in this courtroom. Being a good judge she had been planning on recusing herself until she got a phone call making it clear that she had been handpicked for this case. And her personal bias had everything to do with it.

Dara had listened while Lila explained exactly how Edward was tied into this situation. That he had sent the young couple opposing Jason and Elizabeth for custody. Lila then asked Dara to do something she had never done in her entire legal career. She asked the judge to fix the case. In exchange Lila would back Dara in the upcoming circuit court race. It wasn't the DA's chair, because all these years later she still wanted the position, but it put her back in the criminal justice system.

Edward made sure she wasn't ever DA because he wanted someone that would ignore the many laws he broke. First it had been Scott Baldwin, and then it was Ric Lansing. The current DA was not running because she was ready to retire, so Dara had considered throwing her hat back in the ring. However she would have to run that race without Lila's support. The Quartermaine matriarch had no desire to see her grandson in prison, and Dara was the only one who had come close to making that happen.

Even Jason winning this case wouldn't look bad because Lila had family on both sides of the aisle. So it wouldn't seem like the judge was playing favorites in exchange for an endorsement. It was a tailor made situation. She even had a perfect rationale for her reasoning, AJ wanted his son with Jason.

The recording she got from Betsy Chilson today was only icing on the cake. No Edward wasn't mentioned, but Dara didn't need him to be. Lila stated all Dara had to do was make sure Jason ended up with custody. Apparently the alleged mobster was going to do the rest. He was going to make his grandfather pay. Dara could just sit back and watch as it happened. Her revenge was not only being served cold, but it was well aged too.

"Be seated." Dara told all those assembled. "I'm going to keep this brief." She shuffled her papers. "This morning I received an audio recording where Mr. Spencer, who is standing in my courtroom under a different name," She looked at Lucky. "And his father Luke Spencer, who I understand still has outstanding warrants in the area, devised a scheme to gain custody of Michael Quartermaine and then sell him to his great-grandfather Edward Quartermaine."

"Your honor." Claire stood up.

"Sit down Ms. Walsh." Dara told the attorney. "You will get to speak later, as will Mrs. Miller." More paper shuffling. "In addition to the recording I received information that alludes to Ms. McKenna being in the country illegally. The agents in the backrow will be dealing with that later." INS had been invited to sit in. Dara had the pleasure of watching the redheaded con artist blanch at being busted.

"While there is no direct tie to Mr. Quartermaine, I've alerted the DA's office of a possible attempt to defraud the court. I did this because I received information proving that Mr. Spencer and Ms. McKenna are here as Mr. Quartermaine's guests." Dara knew that wouldn't get very far, because Edward had backed the current DA as well. "Since Edward Quartermaine is sitting in court today I cannot help but think at some point money is going to exchange hands between the three parties. Especially since given his age he knows the court will not give him custody of his great-grandson, and the rather large trust fund Michael Quartermaine has inherited."

"With all the information I received not only from the recording, but from Child Protective Services as well as the will of AJ and Caroline Quartermaine I had no choice but to call an emergency session today." Dara looked out over her court. "It is the decision of the court that Jason and Elizabeth Morgan are hereby given custody of the minor child who from this point forward will be known legally as Michael Alan Morgan. Ms. Walsh I can only hope that you were not aware of this conspiracy. Also if I were you I would think twice about filing an appeal in this case. Mr. Spencer will be in custody." The bailiff was waiting to arrest him. "Ms. McKenna will be as well. Edward Quartermaine, who I understand is paying your bill, will be under investigation. Cases like this destroy careers, so get out while you can. Although it might already be too late." Dara told the lawyer. "I will now hear arguments. Mrs. Miller you may go first."

"I have no argument to make at this time." Diane stood to answer the judge and then sat again. There was nothing she needed to say because she had won.

"Your honor may we hear the recording?" Claire was pissed but not showing it. While she had expected to lose, she hadn't expected it to be like this. Edward paying the bill was suspect, but not unheard of. It had raised her hackles and she should have listened to her internal voice that said let this one go. Judge Jensen was correct, this was going to negatively affect her reputation. Damage control would start the minute this case was done.

Dara nodded and everyone got to listen to the conversation. Edward sat in his seat and silently stewed. Jason was ahead of him from the very start. Logan's voice was easily recognized. It was possible that the detective had been threatened into helping, but Edward didn't think that was the case. He wouldn't worry about the coming investigation, the DA was firmly in his pocket. Now he would turn all his attention to AJ's company as well as doing his best to destroy his grandson. Jason was going to learn that this was a mistake.

By the time the recording was done Claire realized that there was no argument that she could present that would counter what they had just heard. She was planning to ask for a quick recess to confer with her clients, maybe they could explain this. The look on Lucky Spencer's, not McKenna's, face said he was caught. The fact that Siobhan was crying hammered that point home. "I have no argument to present." Claire stood to address the court and then took her seat again.

"Then court is adjourned." Dara banged her gavel making it official, and headed back to her office. She had a campaign to start planning.

* * *

Lucky didn't even try to make a break for it. He wouldn't get very far. If the bailiff didn't tackle him then Morgan's guys that were probably in the hall would. He was cornered.

"Will your father help us?" Siobhan had no desire to deal with INS. That was going to be a losing battle. While she knew that the life she led could lead to her being arrested and deported, she hadn't thought a scam set up by Luke would be when it happened. The older man was meticulous when it came to planning. In the back of her mind a small voice piped up asking if maybe this was his plan all along. Maybe this was revenge for the con she had screwed up. If so that was cold because he had thrown his own son to the wolves.

"I need to reach him." Lucky had no intention of helping Siobhan. She knew the risks when she took the job. This was an every man for himself situation. Lucky needed to be sprung from jail as soon as possible because the longer he stayed in Port Charles the better the odds were that Morgan was going to hurt him. That tape had been doctored and not for a minute did Lucky think it was to protect Edward. No Jason had plans for all of them and Lucky wanted none of it. "Sit tight and I'll get word to you when I reach him."

Siobhan nodded as the officer from immigration came forward. "Ms. McKenna we need you to come with us." Without a word the redheaded con artist did just that.

"Mr. Spencer." The bailiff already had handcuffs waiting.

"I don't suppose I could hire you?" Lucky asked Claire.

The attorney just shook her head before grabbing her briefcase and walking away. She needed to find out how much damage her reputation was going to take. One case had the potential to destroy her entire career.

"I guess that's a no." Lucky muttered as the handcuffs were put on. Looking over at Morgan he received an ice cold stare. Yeah leaving Port Charles behind needed to happen as soon as it could be arranged. Hopefully his father had his cell phone on. When Luke left the country he could be frustratingly hard to reach.

* * *

Jason watched Lucky walk away. There were people already waiting for him. Here in the holding tank, in the city jail, and at Pentonville if they decided to transfer him. Which there was a good chance of. The PCPD would want Lucky as far from Jason as they could get. It was probably expected that a prison fight would happen and Lucky would be taken out.

That wasn't the case though. The people Jason had waiting were going to make sure no one touched Spencer. Not a mark was going to be on him when he was delivered to the warehouse, where Jason would watch him die. Because he didn't hurt women Siobhan would just be deported and she would not be coming back. He was going to make sure of that. They needed to locate Luke, so Jason had to wait there. But once Jason left here he would be dealing with the head of this ring. Edward. Now Jason turned his attention to Elizabeth, he could take a moment to celebrate their victory.

* * *

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	54. Chapter 54

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 54

They all rose as the judge left the courtroom and Jason wrapped Elizabeth up in a tight hug. "We won."

"Yeah. Michael is officially our son." Liz just let that knowledge sink in. This was a moment to be celebrated, but at the same time it was bittersweet. The loss of AJ and Carly was making itself felt more profoundly than at any point since the funeral. "I want to go home and spend the rest of the day with him." She said smiling as a few tears, mostly happy ones, trickled down her face.

Jason used his thumb to clean her face. "I have something that I need to do before I can come home." From the corner of his eye he could see his grandfather and the old man had thunder clouds on his face. It was time to make the last move in this chess game. Then Jason would just have to sit back and wait for the old man to possibly try something else. Although he was thinking that Edward would get the hint when he lost ELQ. This was just not a war he was destined to win.

Liz nodded knowing that whatever was delaying him joining her to celebrate was important. There was a good chance it had to do with Edward. "I'm going to invite Skye and Emily over. I'll call Cody from there."

"Marco called him before we walked into the courtroom, so Cody can just follow you guys over." Jason was going to handle this and then get home to his family as soon as possible. "How about we both take tomorrow off?"

"I like that sound of that. There is a lot of good to celebrate. Michael is ours and no one is going to change that, plus Steven should be arriving in the next couple of weeks." Liz was feeling on top of the world.

Jason just held her close and watched as his grandfather stormed from the courtroom after a tense exchange with Claire. The lawyer looked pissed. "Diane will you be speaking with Ms. Walsh." He wanted to know. The out of town attorney was as close to a casualty as this skirmish had.

"Yes." Diane would give Claire some time to relax first. Otherwise she wouldn't be in the proper frame of mind to listen to the proposal Diane was about the make. By this time tomorrow a good portion of the legal community would know about this debacle, and it was going to leave Claire with egg on her face. Diane was in a position to help her colleague minimize the damage. "Congratulations."

"Thanks." Liz smiled at their friend. "Want to come over and celebrate with us ladies?" She looked at Emily and Skye who were both nodding that they were coming. They were also waiting to get in on the hugging.

"I would love to." Diane's schedule for the rest of the day was clear. She'd party with the munchkin then track down her hubby to get information on the recording. Now that everything was over she wanted to hear the full story.

"Go." Liz leaned up and gave her husband a kiss.

"I'll handle this as quickly as I can and then come home." Jason kissed her before moving off with Rory following him. Later he would celebrate with his wife, now he needed to deal with his grandfather.

* * *

Edward must have had a cloud of steam over his head as he walked from the courthouse. People were moving out of the way as he approached. He had just been humiliated by his grandson, something that would not go unanswered. He was going to destroy everything Jason held dear, and the article on Elizabeth would be the perfect first shot. No one did this to Edward Quartermaine. He would not be seen as weak in anyone's eyes.

He got in the back seat of his limo and reached for the decanter of Scotch. It was early but he needed a drink to calm his nerves. Trying to plan anything while this angry ensured he would make a mistake. He got out his phone and made a call. "Brian."

"Yes sir?" The younger man was on the verge of an ulcer. He expected that any day now Edward would realize what he had been doing.

"I want everything you can dig up on my grandson. This is going to take some time so ignore anything else." Edward instructed his assistant. "No kernel of information is too small. Also call Jax, tell him we need to have a meeting." It was time that Quartermaine International's majority shareholder met his new partner. With the Australian busy he wouldn't be of any assistance to Jason.

"Yes sir." Brian wouldn't be following either one of those orders. He had gotten a message on the laptop this morning that Edward was no longer in charge of ELQ. His former boss just didn't know it yet.

"Call me in two days with an update." Edward hung up the phone and looked out the window. "Why are we in the warehouse district?" He asked looking at his driver. In the mirror a pair of green eyes looked back at him. His regular driver's eyes were brown.

"Don't worry Mr. Quartermaine, Jason will explain everything to you." Johnny said with a grin. Easiest snatch ever.

"This is kidnapping!" The older man thundered from the backseat. "I demand you take me back to my office this instant."

Johnny's response was to engage the privacy screen. They were almost at their destination and he wasn't going to spend the rest of this ride being yelled at.

* * *

"Congratulations." Francis shook Jason's hand when his boss walked into the office at the warehouse. "Diane said it was a slam dunk."

"That is was. Logan really went above and beyond on this one." Jason slipped off his suit jacket and removed his tie. "We couldn't have done this without him. Is he still in Port Charles?"

"At the hotel." Francis said refiling his coffeepot. "I put him to work on finding exactly where in Mexico our pigeon may have landed. I have Cooper on standby to act on any information Logan digs up. Since Luke has seen Logan a new face is needed."

Jason nodded. Smart people made his life that much easier. "My grandfather hasn't keeled over has he?"

"No. He's sitting at the table pouting." They put Edward in an interrogation room. Unlike most of their guests they had then offered him coffee and a Danish. Both were declined. "He's no longer lobster red, which I think is a good thing."

Jason just nodded. "Killing him will put me in the doghouse with my grandmother." The blonde mob boss said laughing. He was in a good mood which just couldn't be denied. Yeah he was going to be gloating through his conversation with Edward. "Let me get this over with. I'm thinking we will be having a party at some point."

"Let us know when." Francis was guessing that Diane would offer to host, which would be fine. "I'm going to hang out and watch."

"Not a problem. Where is O'Brien?" Jason thought for sure he would be hanging around.

"Getting changed. He was enjoying that uniform way too much." Francis said laughing.

"He can keep it." Jason was still laughing as he opened the door. "Hello Edward."

"I demand you let me leave this instance." Edward got to his feet to seem more menacing.

"Sit down." Jason pulled out a chair and sat. He stretched out his legs and waited. Silence was one of his greatest weapons, he could sit with an enemy for hours and not say a word. It was funny how people felt the need to fill up silence. They would start talking and usually tell you more they intended to.

Edward stood for another ten minutes before finally taking a seat. "Why am I here?" He wanted to know not realizing that by speaking first he had given his grandson exactly what he wanted.

"You are here so I can tell you that I now control ELQ." Jason looked over at the older man. "I wanted to give you the courtesy of not doing this publically."

"There is no way you control ELQ." Edward was not following the conversation.

"Sure I do. I own grandmother's shares, and I own the fifteen shares that you gave away during your insider trading spree in England." Jason explained with a smile.

"You're lying. Lila would not betray me in such a manner." Edward looked at his grandson.

"I'm not lying. You know I'm not. It doesn't have a thing to do with my injuries. I'm not lying because I don't need to." Jason straightened up and looked his grandfather square in the eye. "If I hear so much of a whisper of you disrespecting my grandmother when you return home I will destroy you. In fact you should just not discuss business matter with her at all. It might be better for your health." The threat was delivered in calm and even voice that was more frightening than a shout. "Now back to ELQ." Jason had eyes inside the mansion and if Edward stepped out of line it would be reported. "I own fifty-five percent of the shares and before you leave this room I'm going to own your forty-five."

"I'd rather die first." Edward said with a snarl.

"That is one option. I know a master forger, who can sign all the paperwork. Lila will miss you, but she has resigned herself to the fact that you might not come out of this alive. She expected it to be over the very bad choice you made to start investigating my wife, but she won't be surprised if you die over your company. After all you've given it more love and attention that anything else in your life." Jason began laying out courses of action.

"Another option is turning you over to Federal Trade Commission. They can seize ELQ and I can buy the remaining shares from them." Jason listed option two.

"They won't sell anything to a criminal." Edward was trying to figure a way out of this.

"Alleged. I've never been convicted, which you won't be able to say because once I had over all the signed documents, and recordings, you'll be going to jail. I'll make sure of it." Jason kept going. "Or there is the option you should take, which is just signing over your shares now."

"I'm not giving you anything." Edward was being stubborn. He had lost and he knew it.

"You are possibly looking at a lot of time in prison Edward." Jason tsked as he shook his head. "Logan would be happy to sign an affidavit saying that the plan that was exposed in court today was your idea, not Luke Spencer's. I will make sure you die in prison for threatening my son." Jason's voice got hard. "And before you go I will make your life behind bars a living hell. Anyone else who had tried what you did would be dead already, but for grandmother I am letting you live, and giving you the chance to remain free."

Jason got up and knocked on the door. Francis opened it and handed his boss an envelope. "Sign the papers." Jason demanded taking a seat again. He would sit here and wait, if this took too long someone would relieve him, but Edward was not leaving until his signature was on the transfer paperwork.

The two men sat in silence as the test of wills began.

* * *

"INS is deporting Siobhan. She'll be put on a plane to her native Ireland in about forty-eight hours. It turns out there are warrants waiting for her." Johnny was standing next to Francis. They were watching Jason and his grandfather. They had been sitting in silence for almost two hours. Edward was going to crack first it was just a matter of when.

"Spencer?" Francis wanted to know.

"Is having trouble making bail since his assets have been frozen. He made a phone call to his father and then complained he should get another call when all he got was his father's voicemail." Johnny answered with a smirk. "We are going to let him stew for a few days before we send someone to post bail. We'll let him run, and pick him up outside of New York." While Luke and Edward had done a lot it was Lucky they were looking for AJ's and Carly's deaths.

Francis just nodded. Lucky had trouble following instructions long before arriving here. "How long do you think this will go on?" He pointed to the window.

"I guess it depends on how much Edward had to drink before he got into the limo." Johnny said cracking himself up. "One of us should go relieve Jason so he can get home to his family."

"Let's give it another hour. Jason is going to want to see this through to the end." Francis knew that.

"I'm going to go get some coffee. Want me to refill your mug?" Johnny pointed to the empty cup.

"Sure. Thanks." Francis handed it over and continued to watch his friend.

* * *

Three hours into their standoff Edward had a realization. He could sign the paperwork and still get ELQ back. Even after coming to that conclusion he made his grandson wait another two hours before he put his signature on the papers between them on the table. "You may have won this round, but I'm not out of the game yet." Edward gave his best scowl even though inside he was doing cartwheels.

Jason didn't say anything. "A car is waiting to drive you home." The papers would go to Diane in the morning and in less than twenty-four hours Skye, Emily, Elizabeth, and Lois would be named the shareholders. The four ladies would be a force to contend with in the business world. Ned declined owning any stock, so Jason asked his cousin's wife. This way Brook Lynn could one day be a stockholder and maybe even run the company.

Jason watched his grandfather leave and not a minute later his friends came in. "I'm surprised that he caved." Johnny didn't trust Edward at all.

"What was the parting shot about?" Francis wanted to know.

"Edward is very good friends with the head of the FTC." Jason looked at his friends and smiled. "He is thinking that when the paperwork for the share transfer is filed it will hit a snag which will put him back on the ELQ board."

"You don't seem worried." Francis pointed out.

"I'm not. Grant Andrews is not going to be a problem." Jason just grinned. "I was prepared to make sure of that, but it turns out I got beat to the punch. My grandmother was serious when she said that she wanted Edward removed from ELQ. Serious enough that Grant Andrews is going to sign this as soon as it hits his desk and not give it another thought." Even within a family when ownership of a company changed hands it needed to be looked into.

"Lila neutralized the head of Federal Trade Commission." Johnny had to laugh at that. "How?"

"No clue." Jason said getting up. "Nor am I going to ask. She's had enough of my grandfather's bad behavior. I just wish I could be there when he finds out that his own arrogance is why I now have ELQ."

"I'll take the paperwork for you if you like." Francis told Jason. "Are we done with Brian Beck?"

"That's up to you. It was your car he hit. Thanks for letting me borrow him." Jason was ready to go home to his family. "I'll be off tomorrow." He let them know before walking out.

"Not a problem." Johnny was the one to respond. "You want me to set up a relocation for Beck?" He asked his friend.

"Yeah. Somewhere nice. He's earned it." Francis considered the debt repaid. "Want to come over and watch the game. Gia should be getting off soon, she and Diane can complain about our yelling while they are upstairs."

"Let me call my girl and see if she's done." Johnny was glad all this was over. Now they could get back to normal mob problems.

* * *

Edward walked into the parlor and found Lila waiting for him. "I hope you're happy. I never thought I'd see the day where you of all people stabbed me in the back."

"Sit down Edward, and be quiet." Lila didn't raise her voice in response to his yelling. She had some things to say, and if her husband was smart he wouldn't just hear her speaking but would listen. This was going to be the last time she tried to save him from himself. Even though he might not see it that way.

"There is nothing you can say that I want to hear." Edward glared at Lila.

"I have sat and watched you destroy this family. I spoke up and no one listened. Monica and Tracy both told me to mind my business. Which I did and the family fractured even further under your need for control. I'm done staying silent." If he didn't want to sit he could stand. That would be fine.

Edward turned to walk away and found Alice standing in the doorway. "You will want to have a seat Mr. Quartermaine." She wasn't staying for the conversation, instead she would sit on the main staircase just in case Mrs. Lila needed her. If anything happened Alice would be on the phone to Jason.

He wasn't getting past the maid, but he was going to see that she was terminated at some point soon. "Well." He said sitting. The door closed and then his wife started. "What do you want?"

"Grant is not going to be of any assistance to you." Lila knew that if Edward was home it was because Jason now had his grandfather's shares of ELQ. There was a part of Lila that worried her husband would rather die than lose.

Edward just blinked in surprise. "Has Jason done something to him?"

"No, I have." Lila arched a brow. "Like you he values power over loyalty. Not even for the great Edward Quartermaine is he willing to have his reputation sullied."

"Insider trading is not the stigma it used to be." Edward scoffed, at most he would do a year in a jail that was like a country club than a prison. "Once Martha Stewart got arrested it even became trendy."

"Insider trading was Jason's avenue of attack." Lila replied to her husband. With Jason in control now the altered books were no longer in play so Lila didn't bother to bring them up. "Selling a baby on the black market however is a different matter altogether."

"I have no idea what you are talking about." Edward had badly misjudged Jason, but the level of ignorance he had displayed about his wife's capabilities was staggering. Somewhere along the way he had forgotten just how strong the woman he married was. He also didn't take into account that her soft cultured demeanor hid a woman who could be ruthless in defense of those that she loved.

"When Skye arrived here looking for her father I couldn't help but wonder why it took so long for her to make it to Port Charles. I understood her search started later because she didn't even start looking until she was in her twenties, it should not have taken her so long to find us. From Skye I learned that there wasn't much information in the sealed file that contained the paperwork on her adoption. That frustrated her to no end. But she's stubborn, and she found information on Rae which led to finding Alan. With her adoptive parents no longer living there was nothing to stop her from becoming a member of this family, for which I am grateful." Lila began explaining.

"This has nothing to do with me." Edward thought she was fishing.

"Bullshit." Lila rarely cursed but when she did she made it count. "It has everything to do with you. Skye sat in this parlor and explained to me how Rae's family put her up for adoption and the Chandlers made her a part of their family. She explained that she spent a short time in foster care before finding a home. Skye's one wish was that she could get the name of the family who took care of her before the Chandlers arrived so that she could thank them. Only the records were gone."

Edward just sat in silence.

"I have a long reach and I know a lot of people. I hired someone to find them for her and even I was not prepared for the information that was unearthed. Skye was never in foster care. She was adopted from the hospital by a lovely couple who lived in upstate Pennsylvania, not far from Pine Valley. Almost a month later their daughter died, or that is what they thought happened. Only that wasn't the case. What really happened was that you learned of Alan's affair and you wanted to make sure Skye never found her way to this family, so you erased that child and made her into someone else. Then you sold her to the Chandlers." Lila had sat in this very room and cried after reading the report. That the man she married could have stooped so low had broken her heart.

"Why haven't you told her?" Edward wanted to know.

"It's not because I want to protect you." Lila's voice was cold. "This information has the power to change her entire life. No child deserves to have the happy memories of their parents tarnished. Or to have their parents love tarnished. For all his flaws Adam loved his daughter. Enough that he spent the rest of his life in your debt."

"Now you are willing to expose my secret? You plan to use one grandchild to protect the other? How my lovely wife does this make you any better than me?" Edward wanted to know with a smirk. "You sit there and judge me, but in reality you are also playing with lives."

"I had a lovely visit with Michael this afternoon. When it was over Cody and Skye drove me back to the mansion. We sat in this very room and I told her what you did." The shock on his face made Lila give a harsh chuckle. "I have been extended forgiveness. She understood why I wouldn't want to tell her this. I don't see that happening for you." Lila's voice was quiet. "Skye has left the decision as to whether or not to turn the information over to the state Attorney General up to me. She said she will understand if I don't. You'll be cleared of wrong doing in Michael's case, but this new information will send you to prison for life."

Edward looked into the blue eyes of his wife and understood that she meant every word she was saying.

"I think you'll enjoy retirement. You can take up a hobby. Maybe even do some volunteer work." Lila was ready to put this matter to rest. "Tomorrow you will draft a statement saying that Skye will do a wonderful job of running ELQ. After that you will destroy any and all information you have on Elizabeth. Including whatever you planned on giving to the press. If you are lucky Jason will allow you to know his son, and Skye will allow you to know her child as well. I wouldn't count on that last one though. Your time of being the puppet master is over." With that last statement Edward was removed as the head of the family and Lila took his place.

He had lost. Any moves that had still be available to him were now gone. In all his years he had never been handed a defeat this resounding. "Should I expect divorce papers next?" He asked with a heavy dose of snark.

"No." Lila was left feeling sad by this entire situation. "I still love you, which shows I'm not as strong as I wish to believe. For all your faults and flaws I still do love you. I just don't like you very much any more." She told him being brutally honest. His attitude wasn't surprising Edward always was a sore loser. Nor was she thinking that in time he would thank her for this, because he wouldn't. Even though she had just saved his life, because he would have tried to make another move against Jason at some point, her stubborn husband would never thank her.

"I will never forgive you for this. I will be moving out of our bedroom this afternoon." Without another word Edward got up from his chair and stormed from the parlor.

Alone Lila let the tears for all that they had lost come. Still she would do everything all over again. In the end she stood by every choice she had made. She was going to call for Alice when Lila simply slumped over in her wheelchair.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	55. Chapter 55

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 55

The widest smile was on Jason's face when he walked into the penthouse. Elizabeth was standing on the other side of the room with their son in her arms. She turned so that they were both looking at him and a wave of love for them hit him so hard it made his eyes burn. They were simply everything. "Hi."

"Hi." Liz didn't move but waited for Jason to come join them. He wrapped them in his arms and she let the love pour over her. He and their son were the center of her universe. Nothing else would matter if they weren't in her life. Looking up her eyes were shining with unshed tears. "I love you."

"I love you." Jason kissed her forehead before depositing a gentle kiss on her lips. Then he kissed the top of Michael's head. When Elizabeth leaned into him and started crying he just gathered her closer. These tears would be ones of relief that they didn't have to worry about losing their son. They would also be of grief for the fact that AJ and Carly were gone. He had been feeling those same emotions since the judge made her proclamation. "Better?"

"Yeah." Liz nodded handing the baby over. "Let me go wash my face, and then when I come back out we can start celebrating." She moved down the hall and smiled when she realize Jason was following her. Since he was she didn't close the door to the downstairs bathroom.

"How long have you had Michael to yourself?" Jason was rubbing his son's back. It was almost time for him to eat.

"About half an hour." Liz answered the question. "I called Grandmother, and she came over for a short visit. Diane left first. Then Skye and Cody, they took grandmother home. Emily was the last to leave. Michael slept through most of the visit." Liz told him what he missed. "I told Nadine she could have tomorrow off, Georgie too. They both say congratulations by the way."

Jason just nodded. He would be hearing that from a lot of the guys in the coming days. It would make him smile each time.

"Do you need to talk about what happened with Edward?" Liz walked out of the bathroom into the hall.

"I didn't kill him." Jason said on a chuckle, which made his wife laugh too. "He signed over his shares of the company which means we are now on watch for him to try something else."

"It never ends with him does it?" Liz just shook her head in exasperation.

"No." Jason followed her down the hall to the living room. "I'm concerned that he is going to take his anger out on Grandmother."

"He better not!" Liz immediately responded, planting her hands on her hips. "There is no way one of us will not take him apart if he dares to hurt her."

"I warned him to mind his behavior." Jason let her know. His grandfather didn't always do well with warnings though. "I have Alice keeping watch, and I'll call tomorrow to check in."

"I think someone is ready for a bottle." Liz smiled at her son. "I'll heat it up and while he's eating we can talk about what it is we want for dinner. I'm not cooking so decide what you want to order in."

"What goes well with winning custody?" Jason kissed his son who was smiling up at him. In the time since he'd come to live with them he had grown so much. Just recently he was holding his head up on his own for long stretches of time. He was also getting better at grabbing things as his vision improved. Jason really needed to start recording Michael more often so they had these achievements to look back on when he was older.

"I think Kelly's." Liz held out her hands for the baby. "Go get changed." She was already in casual clothes.

"Be right back." Jason took the stairs two at a time more than ready to put on some jeans.

* * *

Liz sat on the couch and gave Michael his bottle. "You are getting big. I think I might need to go shopping soon for some new sleepers for you. I bet your aunts would like to come along." Liz smiled down at her son. He was making good progress on his dinner when the phone rang. Making sure the baby was stable she reached over and answered it. "Hello."

"Mrs. Elizabeth, its Alice. Mrs. Lila is on her way to the hospital." The housekeeper was on the verge of tears. If they found even one bruise Mrs. Lila, then Edward would pay for that.

"What happened?" Liz needed information.

"She had a talk with Edward in the parlor and he stormed off. When I went in to check she was unconscious." Alice was being driven over by Cook.

"We are on our way." Liz said before hanging up and calling downstairs. Briefly she wondered if this was Edward's last day on earth. If he had hurt Lila then Jason would just be one of many people gunning for the older man. "Hi Nadine, I'm sorry to interrupt your night. There has been an emergency and I need you to come back up."

"I'm on my way." Nadine hung up. "I have to go upstairs, there has been an emergency."

Renaldo frowned in confusion. His work phone was on and he hadn't gotten any alerts. "I'll come with you." He was over for dinner. They would just eat upstairs with the baby if he didn't need to work. "That way Jason can brief me."

"Alright." Nadine said as they headed for the door.

"Jason!" Liz called up the stairs as she put Michael in his bouncy seat. She was still holding the bottle so that he could finish eating.

* * *

Upstairs Jason was heading for the steps when she called and he could tell right away something was wrong. "What happened?" He wanted to know as he hurried down to the first floor. The look on her face only backed up his suspicion.

"Grandmother is on her way to the hospital." Liz watched her husband's eyes go flat. "I'm not sure what happened. Alice found her unconscious after her talk with Edward. Nadine should be here any minute." As if on cue the guard knocked.

Jason let their nanny and Renaldo in. "We need to go to General Hospital. Something has happened to my grandmother."

"I'll send out an alert. By the time you get there security will have been arranged." Renaldo had his phone in his hand. "Do you want me with you?"

"Stay here. I want a guard on her door. My grandfather is not to be permitted in until I say otherwise." Jason instructed.

Renaldo nodded wondering if Edward was about to disappear.

"Michael just finished his bottle." Liz told Nadine. "He needs to be burped. I changed him not that long ago."

"Leave the bottle, I'll clean it out." Nadine picked up the small boy to burp him. "If you aren't home by ten Michael will be downstairs in my apartment. You can leave him there, or come get him." Either option would be fine.

"Thank you." Liz told Nadine. "I'll try to send you a message by nine."

"There are guards downstairs waiting to follow you over." Renaldo told his boss.

With a nod Jason ushered his wife out of the penthouse. Hopefully when they arrived at the hospital they would be able to get more answers.

* * *

"WHAT DID YOU DO?!" Jason went right for his grandfather the second he walked into his father's office's reception area where the family was waiting.

"Jason." Liz jumped in front of her husband. It took a moment but he finally looked at her. "Let's go get an update. If we get bad news you can kill Edward then." Liz looked over her shoulder and glared at the older man. "No one will stop you. Come on." She pulled on his arm and steered him over to where his sisters were standing.

"What do you know?" Jason shot Edward a nasty look before turning to focus on his sisters.

"Nothing. Mom and dad are down with the doctors now." Emily was barely holding it together. The thought of anything happening to her grandmother was not one she wanted to think on. If it something happened to her because of Grandfather, Emily would kill him herself. The look she shot across the room telegraphed that. "Matt went to get drinks."

"Where is Alice?" Elizabeth wanted to know.

"She is downstairs by Grandmother's room. They won't let her in, but she won't leave. Alice doesn't know much. Cody asked when we got here." Skye was doing her best to ignore Edward's presence. She wasn't ready to deal with him. Right now she would lead with anger which was never helpful.

"I actually was asking because I don't think she should be by herself right now. She loves Lila as much as we do. On the phone she told me what she knew." Liz looked at her sisters.

"Which was what?" Skye wanted to compare stories.

"That Edward and Lila had a private discussion and he stormed from the parlor. Alice went to check on Grandmother and found her unconscious in her wheelchair." Liz had told Jason this in the car.

Skye was nodding. "That is what she told Cody." She didn't think the maid was lying. It was just that Liz might have more information. "I'm surprised Alice didn't kill Edward herself." She was fiercely devoted to Lila.

"I have coffee." Matt came in with a cup holder. Cody was behind him also carrying drinks. "Jason and Liz, I got you something as well." The doctor started with them. No one was thirsty, the coffee was basically just something to do with their hands.

"Thanks." Jason titled his head to the side and Cody followed. "Have you learned anything else?"

"I'm not sure if it's relevant or not but when we took your grandmother home she asked us to stay and talk. She said she had a confession to make." Cody told his boss.

"A confession?" Jason repeated confused.

"She tried to find Skye's foster parents so that my girl could thank them for taking care of her when she was a newborn." Cody recounted what he had been told. His girl knew he planned to tell her brother what they had learned, and was fine with it. "Turns out they weren't foster parents, but adoptive ones. They thought she died because of Edward, who then arranged for Skye to be adopted by the Chandlers. Apparently your grandfather knew about her before she was born and wanted to make sure she never ended up in Port Charles." Skye's first set of adoptive parents had moved to Ohio after the false tragedy. Shortly after that they died in a car accident. So this wrong would never been righted.

"Seriously?" Jason was stunned. Even for Edward that was low.

"Lila didn't say why she was confessing this, but I'm willing to bet she told Edward she knew what he did." Cody looked at the older man from the corner of his eye. Edward seemed to have aged ten years since court this afternoon.

"It was her checkmate move. She had something that would put him in prison for the rest of his life." Jason looked over his shoulder and glared at Edward.

"Can I be honest with you?" Cody wanted to know. "You aren't going to like it." He warned his boss.

"Go ahead." Jason would never stop his guys from speaking their minds.

"I don't see him physically hurting your grandmother." Cody stated his opinion. "He loves her. I'm sure they had a humdinger of a fight. He probably said some really hurtful things, but I don't see him putting his hands on her."

Jason once again looked over at Edward and then back to his friend. "I'm going to reserve judgement on that."

Cody nodded having shared his thoughts.

Jason looked up in time to see his parents walk in the room. They were followed by another doctor he didn't know. He and Cody joined the rest of the family for whatever the report was going to be.

"This is Dr. Garrett. He did the work up on Lila." Monica made introductions. "Dr. Brewer, who is Lila's personal physician, is on his way in."

"How is she?" Emily spoke for the group.

"Stable." Dr. Garrett passed along. "Mrs. Quartermaine's blood pressure spiked after what she stated was an emotional encounter with her husband." The entire group turned to look at Edward. "The numbers are dropping, which is what we want to see. Still I'm going to keep her overnight and we are running a panel to make sure something else didn't cause this. I spoke with Dr. Brewer who said Mrs. Quartermaine is in excellent health other than her arthritis, however given her age we just want to be cautious." In elder patients issues could crop up frighteningly fast.

"So you think she can go home in the morning?" Jason wanted to be sure.

"Right now, yes." Dr. Garrett smiled at the group. "Dr. Brewer will have the final say."

"Did you find any bruises on her?" Jason came right out and asked the question they all wanted answered.

"No." Dr. Garret had indeed looked. "We will check again in a couple of hours." Although they should have bloomed already.

"Can we see her?" Skye wanted to know.

"Visitors would be great. Two at a time please. Mr. Quartermaine, I'm afraid you cannot see your wife. The PCPD is waiting to speak with you." Dr. Garrett told Edward.

"Why can't I see my wife?" Edward wanted to know.

"Because she came in unconscious after being alone in a room with you." Dr. Garrett said being blunt. "The hospital has protocol for patients admitted under those guidelines. Just because your son is the Chief of Staff, and you are head of the board, doesn't excuse you from them. The detectives are waiting for you down the hall. If anyone has any questions page me." He said before walking off.

"I didn't hurt her." Edward said knowing that wasn't true. What he hadn't done was put his hands on her. He had cut her to the bone with his actions and his words. Across the room his family looked at him in their eyes he saw doubt.

"Father you can use my office to speak to the police. Justus is on his way over, but I'm not sure that he will be inclined to represent you." Alan looked at his father. The court ruling earlier in the day was already making the local news. With mother clearly siding with Jason, Alan wasn't sure what to believe.

"I don't need a lawyer." Edward said standing up straight. He needed to go see his wife and beg her forgiveness. The sooner the police were finished the sooner he could do that.

"Let's go visit Grandmother." Liz said to get Jason moving. If they stayed much longer the control he was barely holding onto might snap. She wasn't in a space where she would talk him down again. "We can deal with Edward later."

"Elizabeth." Monica stopped her daughter in-law. "Congratulations."

"Thank you." Liz said before taking Jason's hand in hers. She got the impression Monica wanted to say more, but now was not the time. They needed to leave before Jason killed Edward.

* * *

The visitor count went from two at a time to three at a time, with Alan's approval, because Alice simply wouldn't leave the room. She had let Mrs. Lila talk to Edward alone and this happened. From this point forward the maid determined to be more vigilant. This would not happen again.

"Hello Grandmother." Jason walked over to the side of the bed and gave her a kiss to the cheek.

Elizabeth did the same. "Is there anything we can get for you?" She placed her hand over Lila's.

"I'm fine. Just tired. Edward has had that effect on me lately." Lila gave them both a tired smile. "I do need a favor from you both."

"Name it." Jason would move a mountain for her if she asked.

"Ned and Lois are returning to Port Charles with Brook Lynn. He is going to oversee my interests until the doctors say I can go back to work." Lila began explaining. "If you could see if he needs any assistance I would appreciate that."

"That won't be a problem." Jason promised his grandmother. "Are they staying at the mansion?"

"No." Lila gave a tired chuckle. She didn't bounce back from things like she used to. It was one of the curses of getting older. "Ned told me if he stayed in the mansion he might hurt his grandfather." The entire family was angry with Edward. "They are renting a house." She would keep to herself that they were thinking of returning to the area full time since that wasn't a concrete decision yet.

"If they need anything we will be happy to help." Liz didn't want Lila worried about that. "We will send dinner for you and Alice."

"Thank you my dear. Some soup will be fine for me, Alice what would you like?" Lila wasn't very hungry, but she knew that if she said that it would worry everyone further.

"Any pasta dish is fine." The maid told Mrs. Elizabeth.

"When you are back at the mansion we can bring Michael over for a visit." Jason knew that would cheer her up.

"I would love that. Congratulations by the way." Lila had been smiling wide when she got a call about the verdict.

Liz's phone rang and she pulled it from her bag and smiled at the caller id. "It's Steven. My brother." She explained to Lila.

"Go ahead dear." Lila knew Liz would ignore the call to continue the visit.

"Thank you." Elizabeth moved to the other side of the large room. "Hi."

"Hey Libby." Steven was tired. He had done a lot of traveling in the days since he talked to his sister last.

"How is your trip going?" Liz was hoping he wasn't calling to say he changed his mind.

"It's over. I'm actually here in Port Charles." Steven let her know. "After talking to you I decided I really wanted to see you, sooner rather than later." He hoped he wasn't pouring it on too thick.

"I'm glad you are here." Liz blinked back tears she couldn't wait to give him a big hug. Covering the mouthpiece she turned to face Jason. "Steven is here."

"Already?" Jason was surprised by that. His guys were still putting together the background check.

Liz nodded as she addressed Steven again. "I will come get you. Can you find a coffee shop and wait for me? I can't leave where I am right now." She hated to leave him stuck at the airport, but security needed to be arrange. Also she wanted to visit with Lila.

"Elizabeth?" Lila didn't want to be rude, but she also didn't want her granddaughter to have to choose between family members. "You can go get your brother. We will have a visit again."

"I need to make some calls before you go." Jason told his wife as he kissed his grandmother's cheek again. "I'll let someone else have a visit now."

"It's good to see you've finally learned how to share." Lila said being cheeky. "I'd like to meet Steven if he is around for a while."

Liz nodded as she turned her attention back to her brother. "I'll be there as soon as I can."

"No rush. I know I surprised you." Steven was walking over to get his bags. "I haven't gone back to Kentucky yet, I figured I should come see what New York was like before pulling up stakes. I can always come visit you if this isn't a good fit for me." He told her lying. It was scary how much easier it was becoming to spin this tale. He was hoping that was because his sister's life might depend on this.

"That's smart." Liz could understand why he felt that way. Stability was important to his continued recovery. "Go find some coffee and text me where you are. Stay in the airport until I get there so it's easier to find you."

"Okay." Steven was still waiting for his luggage to appear. "See you soon. I love you Libby."

"I love you too Steven." Liz hung up and smiled at Lila. "I'll place your dinner order before I leave to see my brother. Just because he's here doesn't mean I'm going to ignore you." She said kissing the older woman's cheek. "You can still call if you need anything."

"I know dear. Go see your brother." Lila was happy to hear Elizabeth had family visiting. "Since it's just us, I want a favor." One he wouldn't like.

Jason looked at his grandmother. "I won't hurt him." Because that was what she was going to ask. He could see it in her eyes. Jason didn't want her stressing over this.

"Thank you." Lila knew that was hard for him. Jason would be the number suspect if anything happened to Edward. Her grandson didn't need to be in a jail cell when he had so much to celebrate.

"I can't promise that someone else won't." He said looking at Alice, which made the maid smile. Lila was grinning as well. "I love you." He had to go make his calls.

"I love you too." Lila accepted his kiss and settled in for the next visitor.

* * *

"Steven is here." Jason told Cody.

"Already?" Cody didn't like surprises, and that included family members popping up before they were expected. "Do you know where he is?"

"Elizabeth told him to grab some coffee at the airport. So if he followed directions he should still be there." Jason passed along. "I want eyes on him."

Cody had his phone out texting Renaldo. "Do we know why he's here early?" Part of the former solider recognized that this entire situation could be innocent. Steven could just really miss his sister and so he cut his trip short. However there was another part of Cody that wasn't buying that. Mobsters as a breed were paranoid, and this side of him was firmly in charge.

"No." Jason had walked out while his wife was still on the phone. "Elizabeth knows we will be watching her brother. So whoever is put on that detail doesn't have to hide from her."

Cody nodded. "Renaldo is going to take the first shift. Marco will be with Liz and we can get his impressions later. Steven is staying in the Towers, do you want his unit wired?" They could do that quickly.

"Not at the moment." Jason was only going to go so far right now. "Milo and Lee need to be alerted to the fact that Steven will be around."

"Renaldo mentioned taking care of that in his text." Cody knew that they had covered all the necessary bases for the moment. Looking up he saw Liz heading their way.

"I'm going over to the airport now. I will call in the dinner order while I'm in the car." Liz told her husband. "I'm going to skip the visit to the mansion tomorrow, and when you give me the all clear I'll introduce my brother to grandmother." Liz wasn't worried about Steven passing Jason's background check. Her brother promised that he had been clean since leaving rehab.

"Have a nice visit with your brother." Jason wanted this to go well. He knew she was missing have her family close by.

"I will." Liz said smiling. "Come on Marco." They would pick up Steven and drive around while they talked. She would also take a good look at her brother and make sure he was doing okay. Worrying about him was second nature now, but that concern wouldn't overshadow how happy she was to have him here.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	56. Chapter 56

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

Just a reminder that this is FANFICTION. If you want to come at me bacause of what's in my story do it under your username. Don't be a coward and hide behind the Guest label. Own your words because I own mine.

* * *

Chapter 56

The joy at seeing her brother was so huge Elizabeth couldn't even form words. She spotted him sitting at a table outside the coffee shop when she and Marco were coming down the escalator. For such a small town Port Charles had a fairly large, and international, airport. Which was why they went to the wrong coffee shop first. Steven had gotten the east and west sides of the terminal mixed up.

Forcing herself not to run, because that wouldn't be fair to Marco, when they stepped off the elevator Elizabeth walked as quickly as she could over to her brother. Smiling the entire time. "Hi!" She said squeezing him tight.

"Hey Libby." Steven had his arms open by the time she reached him. He lifted her right off the floor with his hug. He did love his sister, more than he had words to express. Knowing he was going to break her heart was weighing heavy on him. But he'd rather have her never speak to him again, then dead. "I've missed you."

"I've missed you too." Liz said stepping back to look at him. She had to wipe her eyes first because she was crying. He looked tired, which made sense. Having flown internationally before she knew how exhausting it could be. After trips to Germany she was generally a mess for a few days, and her flights were always direct. Steven probably had to deal with the hassle of connecting flights. "Have a seat and finish your coffee."

"You want something?" Steven held out her chair before sitting as well. He was guessing that they wouldn't be here much longer. Looking up he saw the large man that was with his sister. Having gotten briefed on her new husband the guard was not surprising. Luke said that Jason liked putting on a show of force.

Liz saw where her brother was looking and when he focused on her again she just smiled. Marco's presence would be touched on, but not until they were in the car. In fact nothing of importance was going to be discussed in such a public place. "How was your flight?"

"Good." Steven smiled over at his sister. "Long. I had to change planes twice. I spent a lot of time praying to the traveling gods that my luggage made it to the correct plane at each stop."

"Anything that you are missing we can go out and get." Liz immediately countered.

"My bags all arrived, so I'm good." Steven let her know. He wasn't going to start letting his sister spend money on him. That might make her husband look too closely. Nothing like a freeloading relative showing up when a family member strikes it rich. Liz was living in luxury now, and no one deserved it more. "I can take this to go, if that's easier." The large guy with Libby was scanning the area.

"Actually it would be." Liz said getting to her feet and grabbing the largest bag with wheels. Her brother had a lot of luggage considering that he hadn't stopped back home. "Can you handle the rest or should I find a porter?"

"I got it all over here by myself, so the two of us will be fine." Steven was guessing the guard would not be helping.

"I can take a couple." Marco just needed his firing hand free. Plus he did have backup.

"Thanks Marco." Liz handed him a medium sized duffle. She had already spotted Renaldo, so it was fine if her friend helped. Normally she wouldn't even consider it. However Marco assisting got them out of the terminal faster. The guys were not fans of such open spaces. "We can get the rest." Especially since one of the bags could be put over the handle of the largest suitcase.

"Thanks." Steven was surprised by the offer to help. He wasn't surprised that his sister addressed her bodyguard by his first name. That was just something Libby would do.

"The car is out front. Marco is going to drive us around some, so you can see where you are staying. While he does there are some things we need to talk about." Liz told her brother as they walked through the terminal.

"That's a good plan. I'm excited to see the place you've been calling home since you left California. Have you spoken to Brenda lately?" Steven hadn't asked about the model in years.

"I have." Liz responded smiling. Her brother was never a big Brenda fan, he and Jason could bond over that. "She recently got married too. We were on our honeymoons at the same time. She's still on hers."

"You were together?" Steven asked as he walked next to his sister.

"No." Liz said laughing. Marco was chuckling too. "Jason doesn't like Brenda. Even more than you. So you guys already have something in common."

"We have two things in common. Brenda, and we both love you." Steven told his sister.

"Yes, you both do." Liz had to smile just thinking about how much her husband loved her. "I think you guys will get along." They were at the car and everything was loaded up. Marco opened the door for her before walking around the car and getting behind the wheel. "Buckle up." Liz told her brother. "I shouldn't have to tell you that considering your job." She said laughing.

Steven laughed too. "I was checking out the car." The large black SUV was like something diplomats drove. "Do you ever get to drive yourself around?"

Liz thought that was a good opening into what they needed to talk about. "I can, but if I'm out I'm with Marco he drives." Knowing her brother well it was easier to let him ask questions and answer whatever she could.

"So he's always with you?" Steven said trying to get a feel for security procedures. Without being obvious of course. Learning about how his sister's safety was addressed might give him some insight into how Michael was protected.

"If I'm outside the Towers, yes." Liz didn't have to explain what the Towers was. Her brother knew where she lived because she gave him and their parents that information when she moved in. However even back then she didn't give a lot of details about the building itself. All those years of moving to avoid Sarah's stalker had left an impact. She had learned to not give details about the houses they lived in because you never knew who was listening. That behavior had subconsciously stuck.

"I looked up your new husband." Steven was crafting his response to be close to the truth. He had been well briefed before being let go. "I guess with him being part of the Quartermaine family protection is a good idea. Especially after what happened to his brother." Jason was also said to have ties to organized crime, but the file Steven read stated that he was a low level player in that world. Not someone with real power, just a useful cog due to his control of the ports. Morgan wouldn't have the resources to stop Karpov.

Liz nodded before speaking. "My safety is extremely important to Jason. So you don't have to worry about that."

"I always worry about you." He said covering her hand with his. He debated about whether or not to bring up his nephew. It might look odd if he didn't. "So are you going to show me a picture of the baby?" He wasn't going to call him Libby's son. He needed to maintain a level of disconnect to do this job.

Liz just laughed. "You managed to hold off a while there." She said digging out her phone and pulling up a picture of her son. "We actually won full custody a few hours ago."

"Yeah? Congratulations. You'll need to tell me what he likes so I can go out and get some gifts." Steven handed the phone back. Looking at the baby's face made him feel guilty.

"He doesn't need much." Liz put the device away. "Jason has two sisters and Michael's aunts spoil him."

"Now I really have to go buy stuff. I'm duty bound to not be outdone." He said making himself smile. "If I get to meet them they can tell me where to go. Is that the main hospital?" Steven asked changing the direction of the conversation.

"One of them. That is Mercy." Liz looked out the window. "My doctors are all here. We also have two other big hospitals. General Hospital, where my in-laws work, and County Hospital." She went down the list. "We have a few clinics as well."

"That's a lot for such a small city." Steven looked out the window before focusing on his sister. "Should be easy to find a job. If they don't need paramedics I can probably get a job as an orderly." He wanted it to seem like he was taking notes for a possible move to the city.

"We have a world class medical school at Port Charles University." Liz was nodding because his statement was true. "Because we have all those students places were needed for them to do internships and residencies. So now we have top level programs in those areas as well. People come from all over the country to get spots." She was proud of her adopted home. "If you want to continue your education this is a good place to do it." Last year he had mentioned possibly returning to school to get a degree in nursing. If he wanted to go she would support his decision.

"It's something to think about." Steven nodded while giving a non-committal answer. "How come you don't go to the hospital where Jason's parents work?"

"I didn't know Jason when I first moved here, so being loyal to his family wasn't an issue." Liz just shrugged. If Steven stuck around then he would no doubt here stories about the Quartermaine family's never ending drama. She could address that then. "I'm not going to switch doctors now just because I got married."

Steven got that there was discord there. "Would it be a problem if I applied for a job at General Hospital?" Not that he would be here that long.

"Not in the least." Liz said with a smile.

"Want me to swing by the other two hospitals right now?" Marco asked from up front. Liz wasn't going to treat him like a chauffeur and tell him to do so. The guard was also listening to the conversation. Renaldo was a well. The enforcer was a few cars back in his personal vehicle with the intercom system on. So far nothing Liz's brother had said was sending up any red flags.

"Yes please. Thanks." Liz knew they would see them at some point, but now Steven could get an idea of where they were in relation to one another. If he ended up working for one of the private ambulance services in the city then he would be making trips to all the hospitals at some point. "Once we are done with the tour we'll go to the supermarket to stock your fridge, and then to the Towers so you can see the apartment I set up for you." She told her brother.

Steven smiled and nodded while trying to figure out which level of hell he was going to end up on.

* * *

Jason stood down the hall, hiding in an empty hospital room, and watched as Edward was denied access to his wife's room. It had taken the older man almost two hours to be done with the police. In that time both Emily and Skye had gotten in visits. Jason had also gone back in for a second visit. Lila was sleeping at the moment so she wouldn't be aware of what was going on. Before Edward got anywhere near her a talk needed to take place.

When the older man walked past the room Jason counted to five and followed. By the time Edward reached the elevator bank one was opening and Jason just put his hand on older man's back and propelled him into it. Stan was watching the corridor and had control of this elevator. The hacker had taken over the camera so that security wasn't aware of what was going on. There would be no record of this conversation taking place.

"We need to talk." Jason stood between Edward and the door. Not that it would open until the mob boss told Stan to let them out.

Edward wondered if he was about to disappear. "I didn't hurt her."

"You didn't put your hands on her." Jason said in full on Stone Cold mode. "The medical file backs that up, but we both know you are the reason she is in that hospital bed."

"What are you going to do to me?" Edward was afraid of his grandson for the first time since he woke up as Jason Morgan.

"I'm going to watch you." Jason glared at the older man. "For the rest of your life I'm going to have someone watching you. If you step out of line again where Lila is concerned I will kill you." His blue eyes bored into the brown eyes of the patriarch of the family he had been born in. Agreeing to leave Edward be had been one of the hardest things Jason had ever done in his life.

"I never wanted her to end up in the hospital." Edward was being crushed by guilt. He had taken his anger out on his wife, something he had no right to do. The anger had come about because he had lost his company. Now in the elevator with his grandson, who clearly wanted to hurt him, Edward was forced to admit that all this was his own fault. All this was because of his behavior. "I owe you an apology."

"Keep it. I have no intention of accepting it. You were very deliberate in setting all this in motion because you are selfish. In the end you forced your wife to take my side over yours. If you want to prove you are sorry then do better where she is concerned." Jason said being blunt. "We are never going to have a relationship, you've done too much damage for that. But I'm willing to allow you to know Michael, eventually, because it will make Lila happy. You can have supervised visitation. Unless you try something stupid." They both needed to come out of this experience better people.

"I'm done playing games." Edward knew that his grandson wasn't going to believe him. He would need to prove to everyone that those days were over.

Jason actually did believe Edward. There was an earnestness about him that was new. Still the mob boss was going to be watching. "Lila is going to have a guard from this point forward. I think you will do better with a reminder. The guard will also try to keep Alice from hurting you, but I'm not promising that." Jason's smile was on the feral side.

Edward already knew the maid would be glaring at him. He just nodded his agreement.

"Open the door Stan." Jason instructed his tech guy. The panels parted and they stepped back out onto the floor where Lila's room was located. Looking down the hall Jason nodded to the guard. "Go visit Lila. Seeing you when she wakes up will make her feel better. Alice is in the room, she won't be leaving."

Edward nodded again and hurried down the hall.

Jason watched and when he looked further up the hall he saw his parents were also watching. Without a word to them he got back on the elevator. At some point this week he would invite them to spend time with Michael. Now Jason needed an update on his wife.

* * *

"So what do you think?" Liz asked after ushering Steven into the unit. It had taken two trips to bring everything up, since they now had groceries. The luggage had been placed in the hall while they went to go get the food items. She stored everything in the kitchen while her brother took his bags to the bedroom and then had a look around.

"It's really nice Libby." He was feeling guiltier by the second. "Nicer than I was expecting." Steven let her know.

"Did you think I was going to stick you in the basement?" She asked smiling.

"No, but this unit probably rents for more money then I make in a month." Steven had a two bedroom unit with a balcony. He had cable plus access to the gym and pool. "My whole apartment back in Kentucky can fit in here twice over."

"You don't need to worry about the price. We are family. I don't want you staying in a hotel." Liz wanted him close by. "I also don't want you feeling like you need to cut your visit short, or if you decide to stay that you need to rush out. This is your apartment for as long as you need it."

"You always did take really good care of me." Steven replied quietly.

"We take care of each other." Liz walked over and gave him a hug. "I'm going to get out of your hair now. You probably need a nap. I'll call down and let you know what time dinner is going to be in case you want to join us tonight. I can't wait for you to meet Jason."

"Actually if this trip is anything like going down was, once I stretch out I won't be back up for a solid twelve hours." Steven learned that he didn't do well with jet lag. "So how about dinner tomorrow night? Or will that make me seem like a rude guest."

"You are not a guest." Liz let him know. "Dinner tomorrow night is fine. Get some rest. Call me if you need anything. If you can't reach me for some reason, then call down to the desk. Someone is there around the clock."

"See you tomorrow." Steven said getting another hug. Alone in his unit he just looked around. "I need to do this as quickly as possible and get it over with." Tomorrow he would meet the baby and the nanny. Then he would start putting together a plan.

In the hall Liz paused for a moment, and then went over to the elevator. Instead of getting off on the penthouse level she got off on fourteen. It was quick walk down the hall to the unit she was seeking. Knocking she waited.

"Is everything okay?" Marco wasn't needed with Liz because they were in the building.

"Is Jason upstairs?" She could call up and find out, but honestly something was already telling her he wasn't home.

"No. He's at the warehouse." Marco answered wondering what was wrong. He could tell by her tone she wasn't happy.

"I need to go see him." Liz told the guard.

"Let me get my jacket and keys." Marco didn't hesitate to respond.

* * *

"What's up?" Jason had been in the car with Rory when he got a message from Cody requesting a meeting in Francis's office.

"Renaldo called in for backup." Cody took the question. "Steven Webber has a tail."

"Who?" Jason wanted information.

"No clue." Cody was still giving the report. Johnny was also in with them. "Renaldo is watching the guy. I went out because what he wanted was someone to snap a picture. I stood on the corner of Freemont and waited for the car to drive by. I took a snapshot with my phone. Stan is running the driver now. Just from a quick glance I didn't recognize him."

Jason nodded. He didn't ask if Renaldo was sure. The enforcer wouldn't have called it in until he was certain.

"Steven was out of the country so my first thought was that he was acting as a mule. The country he told Liz that he was visiting isn't known for drug activity though." Johnny took over for the moment. "If he is acting as a mule then he needs to make a delivery at some point."

"I had Stan track Steven through the airport. After getting off the plane he didn't go to the restroom, or stop off at any of the lockers." Francis took over. Those stops could have been to remove the drugs from his body and then leave them for a courier to retrieve. "He went right to the coffee shop after hanging up his phone. He also didn't exhibit any obvious signs of being nervous."

"So either he doesn't have drugs, or this isn't his first trip as a mule. I checked his passport and this is first trip outside the United States, which shoots holes in that second theory." Johnny took over once again. "No one is that cool during their first drug run." Which supported the first theory.

"Unless he's using." Jason said thinking out loud.

"Wouldn't Liz know the signs?" Cody asked the guys. "She got him into rehab once for addiction."

"Coming from a family with addicts I can honestly say that it's not always obvious someone has fallen off the wagon. At least not with alcohol, which was Steven's drug of choice. Em was the only one who did hard drugs and I think that would have been more obvious." His sister might be able to answer that for him.

"Something is up. When we get a name on the guy following Steven we might be able to figure out what." Francis looked at his friends.

"Are we sure this person is following Steven and not Liz?" Johnny just put it out there. "You guys did just win custody of Michael. Maybe this is Edward. The timing could be throwing us off? Renaldo didn't follow Marco from the hospital, and not all tails can be easily spotted right away." Johnny knew that from personal experience.

"Good point." Francis looked at Jason.

"We can't overlook it, but my grandfather would be signing his death warrant. Something he knows from our talk this afternoon, so I don't think this is about Elizabeth." Jason looked at his guys. His phone rang and it was Angie. "Hello?"

"Elizabeth is here to see you. Where should I send her?" Angie didn't even know her boss was in the building.

"Francis's office. Thank you." Jason hung up. "Elizabeth is here." All the guys looked confused. She didn't make a habit of coming to the warehouse without calling first. He opened the door so she wouldn't have to wait.

"We can go into the reception area." Francis said to give them privacy.

"No. You should stay. You too Marco." Liz looked at all the guys. "You need to put someone on Steven." It hurt just saying this.

"Why?" Jason wanted to know.

"Because he's lying about why he's here." Liz told everyone.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	57. Chapter 57

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 57

The guys were all quiet after her announcement. It was Jason who spoke first. "You don't think he's here to see you?"

"He came to see me." Liz was going to try to have this make sense because she didn't have any concrete proof. She wouldn't have to work too hard though because every man in this room believed in trusting their gut instincts. "However he spent the entire conversation we had super tense. It was same kind of tension he used to carry when he was lying about his drinking."

"You think he fell off the wagon?" Johnny wanted to know.

Liz just shook her head. "By the time I found Steven he was in really bad shape. He had to be treated for liver damage at the rehab center. Even one drink is going to take him right back there. It won't kill him right away, but he'll be really sick."

"Could he be using something else?" Jason wanted to know.

"Anything is possible." Liz looked at her husband and friends. While they were masters of the poker face, she could often tell if they were surprised. This news wasn't shocking for them.

"Yeah, we already know something is up." Jason let his hand run down her arm, he could feel she was trembling. Elizabeth was more upset then she was letting on. "Someone followed you and your brother from the airport."

"What are you worried about?" She looked at Cody, as head of security he would be in charge.

"Drug running." The former solider didn't lie.

With a sigh she looked out the window before facing her friend again. "I really wish I could stand here and say that there is no way that is possible. However I can't. Steven and I are in contact regularly, but not nearly as close as we once were. I don't know the ins and outs of his everyday life. You suspect that because of his recent trip?"

"Yeah." Cody was still the one she was talking to so he answered. "We may need to do a search of his place." They were going to try to make this easy on Liz. It helped tremendously that she already suspected that something was up.

"Let me know when and I'll take Steven out of the building." Liz hated that this was necessary, but she wasn't jumping at shadows. Her brother was hiding something.

"I'm not sure I'm comfortable with you being around Steven." Jason just put it out there.

Liz smiled at him. "We can fight about that later. I'm sure after I leave the guys will be able to help me win that argument by telling you that you can't do this without involving me. My suddenly avoiding Steven when he said he flew in to see me is going to seem odd. No, we won't be together all the time because I still want family time, and I need to work. We will, however, be together often. Marco will be with us, and whomever you have shadowing us will be watching as well."

Jason just looked at his wife. The emotional side was ready to argue that she wasn't going to be anywhere near this situation. The planning side said doing this without her couldn't happen. His wife as a distraction while they figured out what Steven was doing just didn't feel right. "We can't keep him away from Michael either."

"All visits with Michael will be in the penthouse." Liz wasn't going to put their son in danger. The name of this situation was control. They needed to be in charge of when, where, and how long Steven interacted with Michael and they would be. "A show of force there wouldn't be a bad idea. Have both Lee and Milo with Michael and Nadine while Steven is here." Him moving to Port Charles couldn't happen until they knew what was going on. If her brother had to leave she was going to be the one to tell him.

"You think he's a threat to Michael?" Johnny wanted to see where Liz's head was at.

"Right now I don't know what Steven is a possible threat too. I don't know that he is a threat period. I just know he's not being honest." Liz didn't think she was being doubted.

"Let me play devil's advocate for a minute." Francis looked at his friend.

"Please do. I want to be wrong." Liz leaned back into Jason when he moved and put his arms around her.

"Could this be a case of nerves?" Francis wanted to know. "The last time you guys spent a chunk of time together he was drinking. You were waiting to hear that he had gotten into the rehab program. Maybe he is feeling the weight of proving to you that he is sober."

Liz didn't answer right away. She gave what Francis said some thought. Was she unintentionally pressuring her brother? "I don't think that's it." She said starting slowly. "Only because we've had that discussion. We sat down before he left rehab and had a talk about me not expecting him to be perfect. While at the same time I wasn't waiting for him to fall off the wagon so I could swoop in and save him. I want him to succeed. I understand that this is a one day at a time situation, it will be for the rest of his life. Just like he knows that when we are together there is a part of me that is looking for warning signs he isn't doing well. Not necessarily that he is drinking, just that he's struggling in general." She had admitted that after he moved to Kentucky. "We have settled into a relationship where honesty is one of the foundations. Which is why I know he's hiding something, and whatever it is I'm not going to like."

"Is he in his unit now?" Johnny wanted to know.

"He is. Steven said he was probably going to sleep for the rest of the day." Liz passed along. "Will you keep me informed about what you learn?"

"We will." Jason promised her. Since this was her brother they were talking about it wouldn't be fair to shut her out. "We will start with placing a shadow on him and searching his unit at the first opportunity. I can't have drugs in the building." Jason didn't tolerate them in his city, and did his best to curb the illegal drug sale. Stopping it altogether was impossible but they did what they could. Having them in the building could be disastrous because the cops would try to use that to do a larger search and seizure.

Liz just nodded as she asked herself once again if she was sure. The answer was an immediate yes. Something was going on with Steven, and everything inside her was saying it was really bad. "Alright."

"Let's go home. I want to spend some time with Michael." Jason also wanted to take care of his wife. She needed it.

"We'll start putting together plans and will have a report for you tomorrow." Johnny told his boss. Jason was in a rough spot at the moment, but at least Liz was on his side. She got that this wasn't them trying to paint her brother in a bad light. Hopefully when all the dust settled Steven would still be able to stay.

Jason nodded before escorting Liz out to the car.

* * *

"Best case scenario is that Steven is being forced to do something against his will. Wishing for that is truly messed up though." Cody looked at his friends.

"Even that situation could see Steven getting bounced from the city depending on what they want him to do. If there is a they. Steven could be a willing participant in this whole thing." Francis started bouncing ideas around with his friends. "I was thinking about what you said earlier Johnny, about the passports."

"Yeah, I realized my mistake shortly after I said it." Johnny replied with a grin.

"You were thinking out loud. If mistakes are made that's the best time to do it." Cody also picked up on his friend's misstep. Jason would have as well, but the fact that he didn't point it out meant their boss trusted them. "I'll have Stan check to see if Steven has left the country under another name."

"I'm already tapping sources to see if the folks where he was staying have any information to pass along." Johnny had done that while they were waiting for Jason. The Morgan organization had friends around the globe who would help them when it was needed.

"I'll get the board out of the closet and we can start making lists of what possible mischief Steven might be here to cause." Francis said walking over to the large storage area. "I'll also call Brian Beck and see if Edward ever mentioned Liz's brother." They needed to rule that out as quickly as possible.

"I was wrong about things settling down." Johnny just shook his head.

"Hopefully once we get through this then the quiet will happen." Cody told his friend before heading out to contact Stan.

* * *

"Hi." Nadine stood up as Jason and Liz walked into the penthouse. "How is Mrs. Quartermaine?"

"Good. They are keeping her overnight for observation, but she is expected to return home tomorrow." Liz told their nanny. "Thank you for dropping everything and coming up."

"That's why I'm here." Nadine let them know. "Will you need me tomorrow?"

"No. Or at least I'm not expecting to need you." Jason was standing behind his wife. "I have the day off and will be with Michael."

"I need to speak with you. Have a seat." Liz pointed to the sofa. Once they were both settled Jason sat on the arm of the chair. "Lee and Milo will both be with you again for now. This doesn't have anything to do with you. You've earned our trust and we know our son is safe when he's with you." Liz wanted that clear. "It's just for right now this is how we need it to be."

"I don't take security changes personally." Nadine wanted them to know. They really were great to work for. "I've come to realize that if you weren't happy with me, or thought I wasn't caring for Michael correctly you would have let me go by now." She told them what she saw as an employee. "I don't mind having the guys around. So whatever you need to do is fine."

"Thank you." Liz smiled at Nadine. "My brother is staying in the building, he arrived this afternoon." She wasn't going to come right out and say this was the reason for the change in security protocol, but mentioning these two things back to back was intentional. "You'll be meeting him at some point during his stay."

"Same rules as with Jason's sisters?" Meaning they could visit without Liz and Jason around. Nadine was guessing that Liz mentioning security changes and then her brother was intentional.

"Not at the moment." Jason answered that question.

"Okay." Nadine would follow whatever instructions she was given. "Michael should be waking up any minute now. I prepped more bottles because I was here." She liked to keep busy while Michael was napping. When her parents were as hands on as Liz and Jason there wasn't always things to do. For instance Michael's hamper was empty so Nadine didn't need to do laundry.

"Thanks." Liz got up and so did Nadine. "We'll see you the day after tomorrow."

"See you then." Nadine said before heading downstairs. She would call and see if Georgie was around since Renaldo hadn't called to say he was back. It looked like the family drama for the Morgans might not be over yet. Hopefully when whatever this was passed they would done for a good long while. They'd had more than their share lately.

* * *

"I'm thinking of calling my parents." Liz looked over at Jason. "I want to let them know that Steven is here in Port Charles. I seriously doubt that they've spoken to him recently, but if they have maybe they know something." Liz figured this was a long shot. Just sitting here waiting for the something to happen didn't work for her.

"If he's in trouble will they help him?" Jason wanted to know. His parents had made it clear they would not be bailing him out after he got arrested the first time. This was before he worked went to work for Sonny. Jason had been involved in a bar fight. Lila was the one who posted bail and asked Justus to go to court with his cousin.

"Honestly, I have no idea." Liz gave him a sad smile. "They were not interested in helping when I did the intervention." She did call and ask. "I'd like to know that if Steven can't stay here then he can go to them. I don't want to think of my brother being without family."

"Elizabeth, I don't want you to lose Steven." Jason was hoping that wasn't the outcome of this situation. Having lost AJ he wouldn't want his wife going through that pain, especially if Steven was still alive. "I'm not going to give any orders until I have as much information as I can get. If possible, I will help your brother." Sometimes Americans who traveled abroad ended up in situations they didn't mean to. "The only thing I won't be able to forgive is you or Michael being put in harm's way."

"I don't want to believe that Steven could do that." Liz didn't think she could forgive her brother if he caused harm to Michael.

Jason didn't say anything, instead he gave his wife a kiss. One meant to soothe her nerves and let her know that he loved her. When they broke apart he gave her a hug. "Go make your call and I'll keep an ear out for the baby. I'm looking forward to us all being together tonight."

"Our first official night as the Morgan family." That made her smile. "I'll be back and we can talk about dinner. After we can call and check on Grandmother."

"Take your time." Jason said giving her another kiss. Watching her walk out of the room he really did hope she knew her brother as well as she thought she did. Steven intentionally hurting her would leave Elizabeth devastated.

* * *

"Hi Mom." Liz had opted to call her mom from the terrace. That wasn't because she didn't want her husband to overhear this conversation, but because she was hoping the fresh air helped with the headache that was starting.

"Hi sweetie." Carolyn wasn't expecting to hear from her daughter today. It was a lovely surprise. "I can't help but notice I did not receive a new photo of my grandson this morning." Those pictures had her excited for the first visit. Not just to meet the baby, but her new son in-law as well. She liked the way he looked at Liz in photographs.

"I'll make sure to send you one." She was thrilled with Michael's acceptance into the family. Since they were talking about him the great news they got today was a wonderful place to start the conversation. "We went to court today and the judge approved the adoption. We've felt like Michael's parents since he arrived, but it's nice to know that legally it's been recognized."

"Libby, that's wonderful." Carolyn was smiling because she could hear how happy her daughter was. "Did something happen because I remember you saying everything would take around a month to complete?"

"Something did happen, but no one was hurt. I'll explain it during another call." Liz would share what she could. "Today is all about good news, and I have another thing to share. Steven is here. He's thinking about moving to New York."

"Really?" Carolyn was silent for a moment. They hadn't discussed Steven since Libby mentioned that his drinking had reached the point where he needed to go to rehab. Neither Carolyn nor Jeff felt the need to get involved in that situation. They still had not reached a point where forgiveness was going to happen. "Do you think it's wise to have someone with a drinking problem around your son?"

"Steven hasn't had a drink since completing the program he went through." Elizabeth had her answer though. Her parents were not in a place where they would help their eldest child. Or at least her mother wasn't. Calling her father directly might give her a different answer, although it probably wouldn't. "He's doing really well, and I'd like to support that."

"Just be careful Libby." Carolyn thought her daughter was too forgiving. If she had been home the night Sarah was killed she might be dead too. Her youngest child had originally planned to stay with her sister that night, something that caused Carolyn to shiver every time she thought about It. "Your brother has a bad habit of only thinking of himself.

Liz closed her eyes and prayed that wasn't true. "Are you and dad doing anything fun soon?" It was time to change the topic of conversation.

"Your father is going to be speaking at a conference in Switzerland in two days. I'm looking forward to doing some sightseeing and shopping. I want to pick up some items to send to you. I need Michael's current sizes as well as Jason's likes and such." Some of the country's famous chocolate would be sent over for her daughter in the care package.

"I can do that." Liz said with a sad smile as she listen to her mother talk about the trip. Her family was still broken and Steven might be about to make things worse.

* * *

"Didn't go well?" Jason could see that on his wife's face. He wondered if her parents even bothered to think about how their behavior hurt their daughter.

"No." Liz let Jason help her down to the floor where Michael was having tummy time. Skye had gifted them a large, soft, and colorful blanket just for this activity. The first time they used it Liz had explained all the images of baby animals to her hubby. "I didn't even have to ask if Steven could go to Germany. My mother's warning that my brother's first priority was himself gave me my answer." Leaning over she gave her son a kiss on his head. Michael gave a happy squeal and raised his head trying to see her better. "I know I've only been a mom for a short amount of time, but I simply can't imagine turning my back on Michael for any reason. Even though I suspect that Steven is in some kind of trouble, I still love him. I still see the good in him. I don't know why my parents can't."

"After AJ drove us into that tree my parents had to find a way to forgive him. They eventually did, but Grandmother and Emily both said that it took time. That was one of the reasons my brother found himself in the club the night Carly met him." Jason put his arm around her and urged his wife closer.

"I'm worried that whatever Steven may have gotten himself mixed up in this time may crush even the possibility of a reconciliation." Liz let Jason help her carry this worry.

"Don't think about that tonight. Tomorrow it's still going to be there." You couldn't run from the truth so there was no reason to even pretend it was possible. "Tonight just be here with us."

Liz gave him a smile. "There is nowhere else I would rather be. I love it when the three of us are together. Ending the day like this makes everything else worth it. I love you Jason." She needed to tell him even though he already knew.

"I love you too." He knew that she was aware of that. His words were backed up by his actions. Still times like this was when hearing him say it mattered the most. "I gave Michael a bottle while you were on the phone. How about we do bath time and then come back down for more tummy time. We can talk about dinner while we are upstairs.

"Would you mind if I gave him his bath tonight?" Liz wanted to know. It was normally Jason's job.

"Not at all. I like to watch the two of you together." Jason answered smiling. They were generally together when bath time took place anyway. "Grab the kid." He said and when she did he helped her up. Kisses were given out and the family headed upstairs.

"We should change while we are upstairs." Liz figured he was ready to get comfy. It had been a busy few hours.

"Smart and pretty." Jason replied grinning. "We are lucky guys Michael." His son smiled wide as if agreeing. "Come on." They headed upstairs to start their family night in.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	58. Chapter 58

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 58

"Hey you." Liz smiled down at Michael who was awake. He had been hanging out in his crib while she and Jason got dressed. "Ready to go have a visit with your Gram?" Since Steven was still resting Liz was going with her guys to the mansion to see Lila. Honestly even if her brother was awake and ready to hang out she would be avoiding him. She needed some space. A good night's sleep had left her convinced that her initial impression that he was hiding something was correct.

"I thought that today you could wear the outfit that your Aunt Emily bought for you, and the booties that your Aunt Skye picked out. We'll take some pictures so that they can see how you cute you look." Liz told her son as she picked him up.

On the changing table she gave him a fresh diaper before getting him dressed. He was in a pale blue checkered shirt and tan shorts. The booties were a slightly lighter shade of blue and were super soft. They would keep his feet warm. Michael looked adorable.

Stroking her hand over his soft hair she looked into his bright blue eyes. Lifting her eyes she took in the photographs that were hung on the wall. Both she and Jason wanted Michael to know AJ and Carly. It started with giving them a presence in the nursery. Liz had hung photos of her brother in-law and best friend. Some of just them, and some of them with Michael. Alongside those were pictures of her and Jason both with and without their son. It was a gallery of both sets of parents and the child they shared.

Looking back into her son's eyes her smile brightened. "Let's go find daddy. He's probably getting into trouble without us. We can't have that." She said before picking the small child up.

* * *

As they came down the stairs she smiled at her guy who was packing the diaper bag. After their visit was completed they were going for a drive. Jason wanted to make sure they had everything needed so that a return trip to the penthouse wasn't necessary. "We're all set."

Looking up at them Jason smiled. "You look pretty. It always made me smile whenever I saw you in this dress."

"Thanks. I didn't know you liked it that much." Liz walked over and got a kiss. "I love this outfit." As his statement indicated this was something he had seen her in before. The red sundress was just fun and perfect for a casual day out. The cotton dress had a lot of details, like the cascade of decorative buttons that ran down the front, that made it eye catching. She paired it with red flower earrings, and white espadrille sandals to keep the laid back feel going. "Are you done packing the bag?"

"Almost. I need to grab some bottles." They would go in a thermal pack so that they stayed fresh. He also needed to grab the bottle warmer. He had a surprise for his wife and he needed to make sure his son had enough food so they could go do it. When Jason came back out of the kitchen she was dancing around the living room. Michael's smile said he was having fun. Jason watched them before stowing the last few items. "We can head out now."

"Thanks for letting me crash the visit." Liz understood that Jason sometimes liked having his grandmother to himself.

"To be honest I'm glad you are coming with us. I like having you around." He told her smiling. "Also I would be worried about you worrying about your brother."

"I'm doing my best to push that to the back of my mind." Liz wasn't going to be able to ignore it completely. However she wasn't going to let it cast a shadow over their family day out. "How much press will we have to deal with?"

"Not much." Jason held the door as they stepped into the garage. "We made the bottom of the front page, but I think that's more because of what Spencer tried to pull. My going for custody of my brother's son wasn't really that interesting." He put the bag in the car, then took Michael and got him situated in his car seat. Once that was done he held the door for Elizabeth, stealing a kiss as she got into the vehicle.

When he was behind the wheel Jason checked on the baby in the rear view mirror and started the car. They pulled out and at the corner made the turn that would take them Main Street so they could head over to the mansion. In the side view mirror Liz saw another SUV following them. "I'm sorry we need to have guards." Normally for a trip to see Lila they wouldn't take them.

"It's only partially because of Steven." Jason looked over at Elizabeth since they were at a red light. "I decided last night that from this point on the guards will be with us no matter what. You and Michael are too important to take chances with. The guys will hang back so that we don't feel like we are being watched, but starting now they go with us when we go out." He should have told her this before they left the penthouse.

"So you'll be getting to know Rory better?" Liz wanted to know. She knew that her husband didn't always have his guard with him when he was out. Especially if he was with Cody or Renaldo.

"Yup." Jason said with a nod of his head. Rory was probably going to be bored senseless. Jason wasn't nearly as active as Sonny had been.

"What about bike rides? We don't take security when we go out on those." Liz enjoyed having Jason to herself, but would adjust so that they stayed safe.

"There are a few guys with bikes who can come out with us. More than likely it will be Johnny, probably with Gia." The speed at which Jason drove meant not everyone would be able to keep up with him and still control their bikes. Which brought up another issue. "I think we should decrease our speed when we are out."

Liz nodded her agreement. "We're parents now. That doesn't mean we need to be boring." She said with a smile. "It does mean that we shouldn't take unnecessary risks." They didn't need to ditch the Harley, they just needed to be smarter when on it. "Will we be running into Edward today?" She asked as they pulled onto the grounds of the estate.

"I didn't ban him from the visit." Jason told his wife as he parked. "Monica and Alan know that I'm coming over today. The odds are better that they will show up." Jason knew from Alice that his Grandmother had not forgiven Edward. Jason was guessing that what happened to Skye was at the root of that.

Liz understood without him saying anything that Jason had told them that they could join the visit. Considering how long they had waited for a chance to see Michael she was expecting them to stop by. Elizabeth had to admit, if only to herself, that she hoped Edward stayed away. Not because she was worried about Jason, but because she wasn't sure she would be able to hold her tongue. Something else popped into her brain, but she tucked it away.

"What?" Jason asked with a half-smile. He could read her like a book.

Liz had to laugh. "I was wondering what was happening with Lucky Spencer?" When she saw him in court she had told herself not to glare.

"He's still in custody." Jason was trying to decide if he wanted to deal with him now, or wait until they had a better handle on what Steven was doing. Jason would think on that and make a decision by the end of the week.

"You will take care of that." Liz had no doubt about that.

He nodded. Before he did he would have to tell his wife the other thing Lucky had done. Jason wanted her to know that the person responsible for taking the people they loved away was going to pay. "Let's head in." He said before getting out of the car and helping his family down.

* * *

"Hello sweethearts." Lila lifted her cheek so that Liz could kiss her and then Jason. "That dress is darling."

"Thank you." Liz said taking a seat. "I thought the day called for a bit of color. How are you feeling?"

"Much better." Lila promised them both. She had only been home a short time. "Alice is taking excellent care of me. She even helped me escape from the hospital first thing this morning."

"It's always good to have a reliable partner in crime." Liz said laughing. She was sure that Lila waited until she had the all clear before leaving.

"How are you Jason?" Lila asked her grandson. While he was in blue jeans she noticed he was wearing a soft grey t-shirt instead of a black one. It was a good look on him.

"I'm better because you are. I was worried." He admitted. Hiding never happened with his grandmother. Just like with his wife, he could say whatever was on his mind.

"I promise you I will not let anyone get under my skin like that again." Lila told him. "Neither will Alice or that very nice young man you have decided we get to hang out with." Lila arched a brow. "I don't mind, but it would have been nice to have been consulted first."

Jason just grinned. "He's really only here to help Alice dispose of the body. I wasn't sure she knew where to go."

The housekeeper who was sitting in a chair in the back of the room chuckled at the joke.

"Glenn is here to keep an eye on Edward. I can remove the guard if you like." Jason would respect her wishes.

"It's fine. Your grandfather needs a keeper." Lila's grin was on the wicked side. Once she was sure Edward really planned on behaving she would ask Jason to remove the guard. So in about a thirty years that could happen. "I saw in the paper that Skye officially took over the CEO position of ELQ this morning." It was also announced that Dominique Stanton had been named CEO of Deception. "Jason, I'm proud of you for recognizing that women are just as capable as men when it comes to running an international business."

"They were the best people for the job. That's all that mattered to me." Jason shrugged off the praise. "Skye has more than earned the promotion, and Dominique was untapped potential." His sister confirmed to Jason that he had made a very good choice.

Lila just smiled. She wouldn't mention the fact that the new ELQ board was also all women. "Okay, enough of visiting with you. I'd like to see my great-grandson."

"Yes ma'am." Jason replied watching as Elizabeth took their son out of carrier. When the three of them were sitting together he took out his phone and snapped a few pictures. One of them would go on his desk, and because he was sitting here his wife wouldn't need to explain them to him.

* * *

They had been visiting for about almost two hours when someone knocked on the closed parlor door. Alice was the one to answer. The housekeeper turned to announce Monica and Alan, then didn't move until Jason gave the all clear. The mob boss was seriously considering hiring her.

"Hi." Monica looked at her son, his wife, and then at her grandson. She and Alan were both nervous about this visit. Neither one of the expected this invitation to come so soon after the adoption was finalized. Jason was well within his rights to make them jump through some hoops first.

"Have a seat." Jason said getting up and moving to sit next to Elizabeth. That way Monica and Alan could sit with the carrier facing them.

"Thank you." Alan said placing a hand on Monica's back as they walked over. They had only gotten that one short glimpse of their grandson on the day he arrived in Port Charles. Alan was wondering if he had exaggerated how much of AJ was in Michael. "Congratulations on the adoption being finalized."

"We are glad that Edward was not able to cause you problems." Monica said looking at the baby and then at her son. Hopefully this would begin a new era in their relationship. They had made so many mistakes with Jason, AJ, Emily, and Skye. Now that the kids were having families of their own, they could work on being good grandparents. Which would create common ground with the kids.

Jason just nodded. He understood that he would need to interact with Monica and Alan. If for no other reason than so that his son would be respectful of his grandparents. Considering he was a lousy actor that meant he actually needed to find a way to move past the anger and hurt they made him feel.

Liz looked over at her guy and gave him a smile. She knew what was going through his head watching his parents with their son. "Give it some time." She leaned over and said softly. "We are all adjusting."

He kissed her temple grateful for the support she was giving without him needing to ask. "You can pick him up." He told his parents. There was a chance they wouldn't without permission.

Monica reached out and carefully gathered up the sleeping child. "I can see AJ in him." She said smiling as her eyes sparkled with tears. "Carly too."

"How is his health?" Alan asked waiting patiently for his turn.

"Great." Jason let them know. "He had an exam right after we took custody. The doctors were all happy."

"Doctors?" Monica was gently rocking her grandson.

"Michael was born with a heart defect. He had surgery in England." Jason explained why there was more than one doctor looking after the little boy.

"Could we look at his chart?" Monica wanted to know.

"No." Jason shook his head. "He has good doctors. They are considered the best in their fields, and they don't need you looking over their shoulders." He was drawing a hard line there. If this was going to work then they needed to just be grandparents. He knew from experience that they couldn't be family members and professionals at the same time.

"Okay." Alan answered for them both. That was going to be difficult. It wouldn't be hard at all to call over to Mercy and get the names of the doctors on their grandson's medical team. What would keep them from doing so was knowing that Jason wouldn't forgive that. They would lose all the progress they were making.

"Want to hold him." Monica passed their grandson to her husband. "Is his last name Morgan now?"

"Yes. Michael Alan Morgan." Jason told his parents. He was wondering how long it would be before this wasn't awkward.

"For AJ." Monica guessed looking at her son who nodded. "He would have like that."

Liz rubbed Jason's leg to keep him relaxed. Looking over at Lila she could see that their grandmother understood that he was tense. If she was going to be honest they were all tense. After a few visits they would start to relax. Eventually they would hopefully get to the point where Michael could come over with Nadine. And their guards.

"How are you adjusting to motherhood?" Monica realized that they hadn't spoken to Elizabeth yet. It wasn't intentional, they had just been focused on the baby.

"I'm loving it." Elizabeth had kind of hoped that they would continue to ignore her. Just talking to their son was enough for this first visit.

"You'll be able to give Skye some tips after her baby comes." Alan said smiling down at the sleeping little boy.

"I'm far from that point." Liz wouldn't even dare to go there.

"I'd love to get together over lunch and answer any questions you might have, and give you some pointers." Monica told her daughter in-law.

Liz paused for a moment. "I'll keep that in mind." She replied with a pasted on smile. They could have lunch, maybe, child care advice would not be part of the conversation.

"Monica, I would be happy to share some of the pictures that Elizabeth has sent to me." Lila said bringing the focus to her before Monica said something else she shouldn't.

"That would be lovely." Monica said just as her cell phone went off. "I'm on call." She explained rising and looking at the message.

"That's good timing because I know that Jason and Elizabeth have plans." Lila said giving her grandchildren an out.

"We do." Jason replied rising to his feet. He was ready to go. "You can call and we'll arrange another visit."

"Your mother and I would like that." Alan said putting his grandson back in the carrier.

"We'll try to set it up during a time when Michael is awake." Jason told his dad as Elizabeth strapped their son in. "Tell Monica that we had to go." Jason kissed his grandmother's cheek. "Thank you." He whispered. She just gave him a smile and dropped him a wink.

Liz also kissed her grandmother's cheek trying not to laugh. Lila was a boss, there was just no other way to describe it. "I'll call you later today to talk about when we can come back." The next visit would just be Lila.

"Have fun darlings." Lila leaned forward and kissed her great-grandson's forehead.

Once they stepped outside Jason could feel the tension roll off of him. "It will get easier, right?" He asked Elizabeth when they were back in the car.

"I certainly hope so." She said laughing. "If not you can have the guys take your parents out. I cannot wait to hear the advice Monica is ready to give me." Liz said laughing harder.

"She was doing really well up until then." Jason shook his head as he pulled away from the house.

"She meant well. Monica is looking for common ground to kick start the bonding process between us." Liz explained why her mother in-law made that statement. "I'll be polite, but I'm not looking for her to be my friend. We need to get along for Michael, but that is about it. I'm guessing that Emily and Skye, probably to a lesser extent, will fill the daughter role enough that I won't be Monica's first call for a lunch date." Liz stretched out her legs. They got back on Main Street and when Jason pulled into the parking lot of Polluzo's she looked over at him. "Hungry?" It wasn't lunch time just yet, but if he wanted to eat they could go in.

"No." Jason said with a grin. The back door opened and that was when he got out of the car. He took a thermal bag from the manager and put it in the back on the floor.

"What are you up to?" Liz wanted to know.

"You'll see." Jason said smiling as he started the car again.

* * *

"Nowhere." Liz said smiling.

"The food will be fine in the bag for a couple of hours." Jason said opening the back of the SUV. He grabbed a blanket and handed it to Elizabeth. "I'll grab the kid." Hand in hand they walked over to a flat patch of ground under a large tree.

"This is going to be our front yard." Liz said smiling as they spread out the blanket. "We can put a tire swing in this tree for Michael to play on."

"I bet he would like that. He can play with his cousin and his siblings here." Jason returned her smile.

"He certainly can." Liz just knew that there were going to be happy here. The home they were building would have four bedrooms, with space that could be converted to bedrooms if necessary. They would take it one child at a time until their family was complete. "Ground breaks next week."

"This time next year we'll be having picnics in our backyard." Jason couldn't wait.

Liz shifted so that she could put her head on his shoulder, but still see their son. "We're going to be happy here. Our family will grow and be happy in the house we are building." Closing her eyes she relaxed into her husband. No one was going to take that from them, not even her brother Steven.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	59. Chapter 59

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 59

Claire looked out the peephole of her hotel room at the redheaded woman standing in the corridor. Diane Miller being here was surprising. It briefly crossed the brunette's mind that Jason Morgan's lawyer was here to serve lawsuit papers. Because it had been that kind of day.

Learning that her clients were planning on selling the child to Edward if they won had been shocking. Call her naïve, but she figured he was going to offer to pay for them to relocate so he could be in the child's life. Despite his name not being on the tape, she knew he was involved in this. The older man had not hidden that he was paying her fee so that he could be in Michael's life, she would give him that. There was no way that she would have come to Port Charles if she knew that she was brought her to win so a cash exchange could take place. Not that she expected to win. She had been totally honest when she told Chloe that she was not going to beat Diane.

Claire had come for the headlines and press. She wanted her name in the national spotlight. Exposure equaled clients, or that should have been the case. Coming here was costing her everything. The story broke in the national news this morning. Not three hours later her assistant called to say that almost half their clients had decided to take their cases to another lawyer. One not involved in the buying and selling of babies.

Right after ending that call the PCPD showed up to tell Claire that she couldn't leave Port Charles until they finished their investigation. They were looking to see if she had been a part of the attempt to defraud the court. Hopefully they wouldn't contact the bar association, because that would take this nightmare to a whole new level. When the PCPD left she just sat on the sofa in her suite and talked herself out of going to find Edward.

There was a leak in the police department because over lunch Claire watched as the afternoon anchor on the national news outed that the prominent lawyer was now suspected of fraud. The clients that had decided to stick it out bailed. Her office back home was sitting closed while Claire waited to see if she was going to end up in a cell beside her client.

"Hello." She said after deciding to open the door.

"Hello." Diane had been watching the firestorm surrounding her fellow attorney for most of the morning. So far Claire was being lumped in with Lucky Spencer and Siobhan McKenna. With one news agency going so far as to question if the lawyer was getting a cut of the take. That was the story that prompted Diane to come visit. "May I come in?"

"Uh, sure." Claire said stepping back. "Would you like coffee? I can call down." Room service was used to coming up now. She hadn't left this room since she walked out of the courthouse.

"No, thank you." Diane turned down the offer. "I thought I would stop by so that we can talk."

"About?" Claire pointed to the sitting area and sat after her guest did.

"I'm here to make you a job offer." Diane got right down to business.

"Really?" That was the last thing Claire expected to hear. "Why?"

"You are a kickass lawyer." Diane said with a smile. "I had heard about you before this case, but with us in different areas of law I didn't look too closely. That changed with this case, I did a lot of research on you when I was told you were coming. You graduated top of your class, worked as a defense attorney at a very prestigious firm in Boston before moving into child custody work. After you made a name for yourself with several high profile cases, you opened your own firm in Chicago. You were quickly becoming one of the first names when people wanted to win their custody suits." Diane shared what she knew. "Then you took this case, probably for the chance at free press. Even a loss here got your name in a national news story."

"I got greedy." Claire told the other lawyer.

"No." Diane shook her head. "You got played. You were dealing with a special kind of man, one who would sell his soul to Satan himself to come out on top. While I'm sure that you've seen some very bad behavior during custody cases, Edward Quartermaine is in a class unto himself."

"He was smart, but your client was smarter." Claire admitted being gracious in her defeat.

"Jason is also in a class of his own." Diane said smiling. "I only represent clients worthy of me."

Claire found herself laughing. Diane had a strong ego, but her track record backed up that swagger. "I don't understand why you would want to hire me. Especially right now. I'm under investigation."

"I know. There isn't much that happens in Port Charles that I don't know about." Diane had also gotten a call from one of the guys who had heard the news from their police department source. "I also know that you will not be charged."

"If I accept your job offer?" Claire wanted to know.

"No. Whether or not you take me up on my offer, you won't face legal charges." Diane had been promised by Jason that Claire wouldn't end up in trouble with the police. "However your reputation has been trashed, and your practice is going to fold because of that. You don't have family or a relationship tying you to Chicago, and quite frankly no other firm is going to touch you right now." Diane laid out her case. "It would be a crime to let your legal prowess to go to waste. I'd be happy to take you on as a junior partner. You'd need to go back to ciminal law."

"I seriously doubt anyone is going to let me within shouting distance of their child, so I was planning to return to being a defense attorney." Claire was at heart a realist. She expected that she was going to have to start from the bottom and work her way back up. Or that was the plan. Now she had another option. "Send me the paperwork, I'll look it over."

Diane reached into her briefcase and put an envelope on the coffee table. "My business card is inside. Call me when you make your decision. The job comes with a luxury apartment unless you want to make other arrangements."

Claire looked at the parcel. She got out of defense law because she didn't want to represent criminals any longer. From what she had learned Jason Morgan was actually a good man, a criminal, but not a bad person. She could do worse. She had done worse letting Edward hire her. "I'll call you when I make up my mind." She said standing.

"I look forward to your decision." Diane extended her hand and the two women shook. "Enjoy the rest of your day." The redheaded attorney walked out and as she stepped into the elevator she called Francis. A crew needed to come out and paint the office Claire was going to be using.

* * *

"Hey." Liz smiled as she opened the door to the penthouse. "How are you feeling?"

"Better." Steven tried to smile at his sister. "Sorry I flaked on you last night." He just couldn't sit at her dinner table knowing what he was planning. That was something he was going to have to work around. "I might be coming down with something though, so I want to wait a few days before meeting your son. Just to be on the safe side."

"Do you want to get looked at?" Liz felt a wave of relief that she didn't have to lie about why he couldn't meet Michael right now. At some point she was going to have to make introductions. The longer she could wait the better Jason would feel.

"Not just yet. I have enough training to know if I need to go in." Steven said trying to shake off his awkwardness.

"Doctors are said to make the worst patients. I wonder if that's true of paramedics too." She said making a joke. He looked tired, like he was having trouble sleeping. "International travel can be hard on a body. Some folks just shake jet lag off, others don't."

"How are you after trips to see mom and dad?" Steven knew she visited. He figured after he was gone his parents might actually come back to the states.

"A mess for almost a week." She exaggerated hoping he would take the bait.

"I might be the same way." Steven thought a week would be enough time to deal with his guilt. "I had trouble adjusting at the beginning of vacation."

"Tell you what. Let's go to the pharmacy, and then over to the library. We'll get you stocked up with cold meds, just in case. Also some books or movies so you don't get bored. Rest for the next couple of days and then we'll start hanging out. That will give me time to finish up some work stuff." This would get them out of the building for a bit so the guys could look through Steven's apartment.

"Are you still working in publishing?" He didn't know what she did in the field, because Liz didn't talk much about her work. He did know that she enjoyed her job very much.

"Yup." Liz said not going into details.

"I don't have a library card." He said getting back on the topic of their outing.

"I'll be generous and share mine." Liz pulled out her phone. "I don't have any books out on loan at the moment." She actually spent a fair amount of time at the library doing research. Some information she needed wasn't available in digital format. "Marco, Steven and I are heading out." This would be the heads up the guys needed.

"I'll meet you in the garage." Marco told her. He would send out a message to Renaldo who was hanging out in the building as backup.

"We'll be right down." Liz hung up. "Come on. Marco will meet us in the garage. There is a really great ice cream parlor downtown. We can stop there before coming back and get you some triple chocolate. I know how much you like ice cream." She just wanted this to be over.

"I do love ice cream." Steven's eyes were actually tearing up because of the guilt. He didn't want to break his sister's heart, but more importantly he didn't want his parents to lose another child because of his poor choices. He finally understood the phrase living hell, because he was in it right now.

* * *

Renaldo and Cody, waited until Marco's car left the garage before they headed down to Steven Webber's temporary home. "You start in the back, and I'll take out here." Renaldo told Cody. The former soldier nodded and moved off. They were going to do a search, and plant a few bugs.

The enforcer started in the kitchen. He was wearing gloves even though the odds were low that Steven would be checking for prints. Starting with the refrigerator Renaldo systematically moved around the room in a big circle, coming up empty. The living room was next, where the chairs were stripped of their cushions and thoroughly searched. Because Steven didn't have much it shouldn't take long to cover the entire apartment. Still they were going to check every inch of the place.

From the front room Renaldo searched the spare bathroom, including the toilet tank. Then he moved into the unused bedroom. This would be a great place to hide something because most people would think with it being unoccupied it could be skipped. Not them. He even checked between the mattress and box spring before removing the sheets and then remaking the bed.

Walking out into the hall Cody was waiting. "Anything?" This was Renaldo's op so he was in charge.

"Nope. If he had contraband he didn't bring it with him." Cody crossed his arms over his chest and looked around. His search took longer because he was going through Steven's personal belongings. "I'm thinking he didn't bring in drugs."

"Could he be here to pick them up?" Renaldo threw out another scenario.

"It's possible." Cody looked at his friend. "I'm not ruling anything out at this point. People ferry things other than drugs." Look at them. Jason's ships bought in all manner of items. No drugs, weapons, or people though. "If he is here to get something then we need to watch him closely when he's out. I seriously doubt he'll try anything with Liz along, so his solo trips need to be monitored."

Renaldo's phone buzzed and he checked the message. "I have Greg following them. He said the tail picked them up down the street."

"Stan hasn't found this guy yet. He's starting a global search today, but not all countries have the databanks we do. He already checked Interpol and the WSB, coming up blank." Cody didn't like that. They didn't want to just snatch the guy without knowing who sent him.

"This was a bust." Renaldo hated waiting for something to happen. "Let's go."

"Yup." Cody peeled off his gloves and watched his friend lock the unit up again. "Jason is waiting for a report."

* * *

The blonde mob boss was sitting at his desk reading the report that had been compiled on his brother in-law. "Mexico? That isn't where he told Elizabeth he was going."

"I would argue and say that maybe he flew into Mexico as just one leg of his trip, but we aren't finding any proof that he left there after arriving." Johnny looked at his friend. "I reached out to Manny. He has more contacts in that region than we do. If Steven ran afoul of one of the Cartels that might give us a starting point."

"The problem is that there are a lot of low level operations in that country that the Cartels don't control outside of protection payments. People who import and export items that are too small for the big fish to bother with." Francis looked at his friends. "I knew a guy who specialized in Cuban cigars back before you could get them legally. It's something small, but you would still go to jail if you got caught."

Jason leaned back in his chair. "I'm trying to keep this from ending badly for Steven. I don't want him hurt, but my first priority is my wife." Both his friends nodded their understanding. "Let's get a van with listening equipment on the street. I want to know if our shadow contacts anyone."

"Already done." Francis grinned. "You pay us a lot of money to be smart."

"I'm glad that my money isn't wasted." Jason closed the file. If neither Johnny nor Francis mentioned the van that meant their guy hadn't made any calls, or at least not from his car. "I'm guessing you already took a trip out to this guy's hotel room?"

"Last night. Before he ended his surveillance. The room is spotless, his clothes don't even have labels." Johnny didn't like that at all. He'd gone on jobs where he needed to do that. That meant this guy was prepared to not return home.

"He ended his surveillance." Jason looked between his friends. "Either someone relieved him, or he knew there was no point in sticking around."

"If Steven is contacting him, we'll know soon enough." Francis knew that the phones in the unit that Liz's brother was using were now tapped. Listening devices had also been put in so they could hear his side of the conversation if he used his cell. "We won't know about a possible second man working with our unknown tail until Steven ventures out after dark the first time."

Jason nodded. Waiting sucked. "It's time for Spencer to get sprung. I know his one phone call was to his dad, and I know Luke didn't answer. So let's work with that. Have one of the guys show up and post bail, and let's have Lucky think his dad sent backup."

"I'll need to call up a new face. We don't want someone the PCPD recognizes." Johnny would take this while Francis oversaw the Steven mess. "Give me twenty-four hours to get everything into place."

"That's fine." Jason would deal with Lucky while he waited for whatever Steven was doing to come to light.

* * *

"Hola." Luke was sitting on the patio of his newly leased home. He had found a lovely little house that was in a nice quiet part of town. He was going to set up his base of operations here. If he didn't like it, he could always move to another location.

"Luke." Cabrera was in his hotel room.

"How is New York treating you?" The older man wanted to know.

"It's nice. I kind of wish I had come before now. I'm guessing that New York City is more exciting, however I am a small town boy so this place appeals to me." Cabrera's English was flawless despite it not being his mother tongue.

"How are things going?" Luke had been waiting for a report.

"Well. Steven is here. Right now his sister is taking him around town on what appears to be a shopping trip." Eddie was watching a video feed. "Lots of smiling is happening so I assume that she does not know why he really came. It was smart of you to not send just me. The tail was tagged." Eddie had two men with him. They should be enough to get the job done.

"Morgan is not someone to be taken lightly. I figured his guys would spot Steven's tail, and I don't want you harmed. I promised Joe that I would not let anything happen to his number one operative." Luke said grinning. The guy who was doing the actual tailing was expendable. If Morgan took him out it wouldn't be that big of deal. Eddie was there to get the baby when Steven snatched him, or grab Elizabeth whichever was necessary. Since they didn't know about Eddie then they wouldn't see him coming. "Stay out of sight unless you have no choice."

"I plan to. Your boy is in the news. His court date didn't go so well." Eddie figured he should pass this along.

'Really?" Luke hadn't bothered to check the news in the states. "What happened?"

"He got arrested for trying to defraud the court. He is still being held." Eddie had watched the news last night and this morning. "Should I do something about that?"

"No." Luke was done with Lucky. "He has no information on where I am other than I crossed the border. He can't even say for certain that I'm in Mexico, this could have just been the first leg of my journey. Any news on the woman?"

"She is being deported today." Eddie reported to the man his bosses trusted so highly. The fact that he would abandon family lowered the amount of respect Eddie felt for him. Family was everything, no matter what you protected it.

"That is no less that she deserves." Luke said with a wide grin. "Keep me up to date on the goings on in Port Charles. For such a small place it always was pretty lively."

"There are lots of lovely women to look at." Eddie had enjoyed his visit to the park near one of the hospitals.

"It's good to know that some things don't change. Of course the view here is spectacular as well." Luke was going to go out a little later and get himself some companionship. "Enjoy your time stateside. If Eli's is still there go have some ribs, they were always delicious."

"I will do that." Eddie said ending the call. He went back to the video feed and created a few stills. If he needed proof for Steven that Elizabeth Morgan was in their sights, this would do it.

* * *

"I thought you were taking the day off." Georgie said walking into the kitchen to grab a bottle of water. She had been in her office and didn't hear Liz come in.

"Steven isn't feeling very well, so I find myself with some free time. I'm not drawing today. I'm going to sit on the terrace and write out some story lines for both series." Liz explained to her assistant. Generally she did this once a month. What she wrote would dictate what went into the panels.

"Sorry to hear that. Will I get to meet him when he's feeling better?" Georgie was watching her friend. Liz seemed a little off.

"No." Liz just shook her head. "In fact I want you to try to avoid him if you can."

"Something's wrong?" Georgie asked frowning. This was not news she wanted to hear. Liz had been super stoked for this visit, and Georgie had been so happy for her friend.

"Yes. I'm not sure what just yet. Until I do I'm trying to keep him away from everyone. I don't want anyone else to possibly be affected." Liz didn't want her friend's feelings to be hurt.

Georgie nodded, understanding now why Milo was back with Nadine even when the nanny was in the building. "How is Jason handling this?"

"He's letting me take the lead for now." Liz put her glass in the dishwasher. "Which is hard for him. He trusts me, but he feels like I'm being threatened and he's not doing anything about it. I'm hoping that Steven will just come clean at some point. Given his history that may be a long shot."

"Maybe it won't be as bad as you think. Although I've learned with Maxie that is rarely the case. Usually it's worse. Which I probably should not have said out loud. Sorry." Georgie gave her friend a hug. "At least this happened after you were done with Edward."

"That's true." Liz said smiling. "It just seems like we have had our share of trouble, and few other people's shares as well."

"Do it all and get it over with." Georgie said trying to be chipper and make her friend laugh. "When all this over you should consider another trip out to Malibu. This time just you, Jason, and the kid. Plus the guards, and your nanny."

"I might need to have another guest house put in." Liz said laughing. "I have enough room. Okay I need to work. It will help me clear my head."

"I'm upstairs if you need me." Georgie headed back to her office.

Out on the terrace Liz got situated, opened her laptop, and tried to disappear into the worlds that she had created.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	60. Chapter 60

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

Happy Thanksgiving!

* * *

Chapter 60

Johnny waited in the doorway of the office until Jason looked up. "Got a second?" Jason had been reading and OB didn't want to interrupt.

"Sure." Jason pointed to a chair. "What's up?" He leaned back in his chair curious as to why his friend closed the door. With the door closed that meant it was a personal issue. He hit the intercom. "Angie, hold my calls and visitors please."

"Yup." Angie told her boss. O'Brien closing the door told her that.

"Thanks." Jason leaned back again and waited for his friend to get comfortable.

It wasn't even two hours since the last meeting with the crew and Johnny was back. He had an update on some information that he had been waiting to come in. "Reggie is coming up to spring Spencer from jail. He'll take him down to New York where the Jameson family set up a space for the grab." They wanted it clear that Lucky left Port Charles heading south. Unfortunately there wasn't anywhere between here and the larger city private enough to make the snatch.

"Okay. I'll call and say thank you." Jason appreciated that they would help him. Since they had an alliance no marker needed to be exchanged. He just waited because this information was not enough for Johnny to close the door.

O'Brien took a minute before starting. "I thought it was time to look into Robin's murder again."

Jason didn't say anything, but he did nod to indicate that his friend should keep going.

"It's been a while and I wanted to see if any progress had been made in the case. I know that Anna kept the case open. With her being promoted to the head of the WSB she has a lot of resources at her disposal, and she used them." Johnny had the file in his hand and he put it on the desk. "They found the person who did it." He thought it was truly fucked up that no one had called to say that.

Jason looked at the file and then back at his friend. "Who?" The information was inside but he didn't feel like hunting through the entire report to find a name. He wanted the information now.

"A man named Caesar Faison. He has an obsession with Anna, and an extreme hatred of Duke." Johnny had almost wept tears of gratitude when he read that. His friend was still haunted by Robin, and now she could let go.

"It wasn't me." Jason didn't realize he had been holding his breath until it came whooshing out of him. "It wasn't me." He repeated because he really did believe he was the reason Robin was dead.

"No." Johnny said with a small smile. "It wasn't you." He was happy for his friend which was also kind of fucked up. Because they were talking about the murder of a young woman. "Joe Scully grabbed Robin. She got in his car without any fuss because she knew him as a friend of Duke's."

"Why did he turn on his friend?" Jason was letting this new information sink in. Duke had been out for a few years by the time Robin was killed. If it was a grudge then Joe had held it for a while.

"No clue. Scully was killed in the shootout where the WSB captured Faison. Information on the man who killed Robin is in the file." Faison was not someone Johnny had ever even heard of.

"Is he still alive?" Jason finally opened the file and looked at the pictures inside.

"Yes. My source said that Anna made sure to bring him in alive." Johnny passed along. "I imagine he is not being held in comfort."

"I don't imagine he is." Jason closed the file and looked at his friend. "Thank you." He hadn't checked in a while. Right after the murder Jason was checking for leads and information weekly. As time passed he stopped until he was only checking roughly once a year, just to see if any breaks had occurred in the case. Sitting here he realized that it had been longer than that since he asked their source about the case. The closer Jason got to Elizabeth, the less of a hold Robin had on him. Now he didn't need to think on this anymore.

"You're welcome. I glad they found justice for her. She can rest in peace now." Johnny got the information just before he went to lunch. He was meeting Gia or otherwise he would have come right over to speak with Jason. Since Johnny was out he lit a candle for Robin before returning to the warehouse. "I'm gonna go back to my office and try to avoid doing some work. I'll close the door on the way out."

Jason stood up and held out his hand. "Thank you. I appreciate you getting this for me."

Johnny shook it. "We take care of each other." He told the man he thought of as a brother. "Try not to disturb him unless necessary." He told Angie as he walked past. Jason was going to say his final goodbyes and that needed some time. Not too much though, because he had been letting go since meeting Elizabeth. Johnny was walking down hall, whistling, and when he turned into his office he had a visitor. "Hello."

"Hi. Your assistant said you had time to talk to me." Liz stood up and looked at her friend. "So I had Marco bring me over."

"Sure thing. Come on in." Johnny tilted his head telling Marco that he was welcome to join them. "Call over to Angie and ask her to tell Jason that Liz is here." Johnny instructed his assistant before he closed the door, if Jason came down he could just walk in. "What did you need?"

Liz sat on the couch while Johnny took one armchair. Marco was in the other one. On the ride over she told her guard she wanted him sitting in while she and Johnny talked. "I read the M.O. Gene file."

"What did you think?" Johnny wanted to know. The door opened and he grinned at Jason, who came in and sat next to his wife. O'Brien thought his friend needed time alone, however the universe clearly knew better. Having Liz show up right after the news about Robin was passed along was proof of that, or at least that is what Johnny was choosing to believe.

"The file?" Jason couldn't think of any other reason for Elizabeth to meet with Johnny here.

"Yeah." Liz hadn't called him, because he told her to talk to Johnny. That there friend would ask Jason to come down wasn't surprising.

"Go ahead." Jason didn't know what decision she had reached. He trusted Johnny enough to not get involved more than necessary. Even now he was here to support Elizabeth, not take over.

Liz looked at Johnny. "A lot of work went into breathing life into my alias." She smiled at her friend. "In all the time I've been M.O. Gene I've never even imagined what he might look like. Which might sound odd considering my livelihood is based on the use of my imagination. Now I know he's six feet tall, with fading strawberry blonde hair and green eyes. I know he was born in upstate New York which explains why his accountant and lawyer are here. He only moved to Montana after some fans camped out on his doorstep seeking autographs. All M. O. wants is to work on his art and be left alone." Her smile was getting wider. "I bet his spread is gorgeous."

"You can go see it." Johnny let her know.

"Do I own it?" Liz asked her friend.

"Yup, or should I say M.O. owns it, but you didn't buy it. Francis and I did as a wedding present because boring over there wouldn't let us buy gifts." Johnny said picking on Jason. Stan had funneled the money used through all manner of channels. "There is a house on the property, and an older gentleman who will yell about folks trespassing if anyone goes past the gate without an invitation."

"Is his name Milton Otis?" Liz asked trying not to laugh. That was apparently what the initials stood for.

"Yeah." Johnny's grin was boyish.

"Where did you find him?" Marco wanted to know. Liz had shared information about the file with him on the drive over. His bosses never failed to impress him. He really hoped she went along with this.

"Shook a tree and he fell out." Johnny said laughing. "He's a retired guard. He worked for Maximus for a number of years. Now he works for us." O'Brien stretched out his legs. "It's not in the file but if someone does happen to show up in Port Charles we are prepared for that as well. We are ready to state that Milton's office staff is here as well, since his accountant and lawyer are. You, Georgie, and whoever you might hire all work for him. You are also his goddaughter, which explains why you can sign things for him."

"He really doesn't want to be bothered." Liz said with a healthy dose of sarcasm.

"No, he doesn't." Johnny had eyes watching their guy, because you always had back up, but this should work. If she wanted it to. "You in?"

"I am." Liz nodded feeling a huge measure of relief. "I don't want anyone to know. I don't want to be famous." She had told Jason this in Malibu. "I just want to create and tell my story."

"We will need to tell Felix, so we are all on the same page." Johnny told his friend. "I'd rather not tell anyone else what we've done."

"That won't be a problem." Liz agreed to that. Her parents didn't need to know, and plans to tell Steven had come to a screeching halt. She also didn't think Brenda needed to have this information. "You have a very vivid imagination." She said impressed.

"Not me. Stan." Johnny didn't take credit he didn't deserve. "Bernie and Felix got the ball rolling, but it was Stan who colored everything in."

"I'll have to get him something nice then." Liz would think on that. "Is he a fan of anyone famous? I might be able to get an autographed picture through Felix." Her agent had gotten a signed picture of Hugh Jackman for Georgie.

"He'd probably just be happy with an autographed comic." Jason knew that Stan was also a huge fan of the series.

"That seems so egotistical." Liz said laughing. Giving out autographs was not something she did that often. Counting Diane's nephew it had happened a total of fifteen times. She would give Stan an autographed copy of the first issue; that seemed appropriate to what he had done for her.

"Trust me, it's not." Jason promised his wife. "I'm going to go close up my office and tell Angie that I'm working from home for the rest of the day." He wanted to be close to his family.

"Do you want me to wait?" Liz asked him. He might need some time.

"Yeah." Jason looked over at Marco. "I'll drive Elizabeth back. Rory is downstairs in Kyle's office, if you are going back to the Towers he can stay here."

"Call me when you are heading out." Marco would go down and hang out until they were ready.

"Thanks Marco." Liz appreciated him bringing her over.

* * *

She went back to her studio and Jason went to the penthouse. He gave Nadine the rest of the afternoon off because he wanted to hang out with his son. He placed the swing in the office so that he could see Michael. Just looking at the sleeping little boy brought him a sense of peace. It also brought a sense of sadness. The grief was still there. On one level it was still being processed, and on another it was already starting to pass. He would always miss his brother, but it would get easier to accept he was gone.

It wasn't a feeling Jason ever expected to get where Robin was concerned. Generally the longer a crime went unsolved the greater the odds were it would never happen. So to get closure was an unexpected gift. That Johnny went back to see if any progress had been made didn't surprise Jason. Everyone here took care of one another, this was just more proof of that.

He picked up a file. Working would help him get his thoughts in order so that later tonight he could share them Elizabeth. Just knowing he had a partner to share his feelings with was enough to bring a smile to Jason's face. Knowing she would understand, and support him had him feeling much lighter.

* * *

The knock on the door surprised him because he wasn't expecting anyone. Renaldo checked the peephole and by the time the steel panel was open he was smiling. "Hi."

"Hi." Nadine had no clue if he would be in but she decided to risk it. She had spent the unexpected time off this afternoon reading, and now it was almost dinner time. Maybe they could eat together. Calling would have given her the answer but she wanted this visit to be a surprise.

"This is nice. I was just thinking about how I wanted to call you later." Renaldo leaned against the doorjamb.

"Now you don't have to." Nadine said smiling at him. "I'm done the book you loaned me." She said holding up the novel. This was her excuse for just dropping by.

"You're a fast reader." He said standing to his full height.

"One of the perks of having such a young child to care for, and very involved parents." Nadine had the squash the urge to fuss with her hair. "I have a fair amount of downtime. As Michael gets older that will change, but for now he doesn't do much."

"Would you like to borrow another book?" Renaldo wanted to know.

"If you wouldn't mind. I haven't gotten a library card yet." Nadine explained enjoying the view. It was funny how many things were involved in a move to a new location. It was always the minor things that you found yourself realizing you still had to do.

"I don't mind at all." Renaldo let her know. "Would you like to come in and pick something?" So far she hadn't been in his apartment. Whenever they got together it was either out or at her place because he wanted to put her in a position of control. He didn't want her to feel like she had come onto his turf.

"Thank you." Nadine said stepping into the apartment when he made room. She had been curious about his personal space and now she was seeing it. The walls were a warm honey color which surprised her a bit, but she liked it. His living room furniture was deep brown, with red accents in the pillows and area rug. His unit was around the size of her first one so he had a lot of space but didn't feel the need to fill it up. She liked how open it felt.

"The books are in one of my spare bedrooms." Renaldo closed the door and led her deeper into his home. He was aware she was looking around, but he was also thinking she liked what she was seeing. The place was neat and clean, but not obsessively so. "In here." He had turned the third bedroom into a den. His bookshelves and gaming area were in here to keep the living room from feeling crowded. "Take whatever you like. Would you like to stay for dinner? I'm on call." He wanted her to know. "I'd still like to have you stay though."

"I'd love to stay for dinner. If you have to go I'll understand. Technically I'm always on call." Nadine pointed out as she smiled wide at the invitation. The more time she spent with Renaldo, the more time she wanted to spend with him. She very much enjoyed this slow build up they had going. It was more than clear that he wasn't in this just for sex.

"I had planned on making some pasta, is that okay?" He would add the shrimp he had in the refrigerator because she liked them.

"Absolutely. With your sauce?" Nadine wanted to know. He'd cooked for her before, and they ate on the rooftop deck. It was a great night.

"I don't do jar sauce, which makes me sound like a snob." He admitted smiling. "My grandmother would hurt me. I make big batches and freeze it."

"When you make sauce that good, you shouldn't open a jar." Nadine said paying him a compliment. It was outstanding.

"Pick a book and take it to your place. I'll get started on dinner. The door will be open when you get back." Renaldo said heading to the kitchen. He would leave her to make a selection while he got the meal started.

Nadine watched him go and tried to resist the urge to fan herself. He was smart, sexy, funny, handsome, and he cooked. How lucky could a gal get? "Pretty lucky." She said out loud. At some point she was hoping to get luckier still. Because she was just willing to bet he was good in bed as well. They would get there, but for now she turned her attention to the books. If she kept thinking about sex she would jump him during dinner.

* * *

"Calling it a night?" Georgie asked her boss. She was standing by the front door to the penthouse, and Liz was coming down the stairs.

"Yup." Liz was happy with the work she was getting done on the new novel series. Ideas for the second issue were already in her head; that was the biggest clue that she had picked the right time to start this new project. One thing she had learned was that you couldn't force creativity. Whatever you worked on would just crash and burn. "Did you get a chance to tell Felix about the annoying publishing house woman?"

"I did. I have been assured that she will not be bothering me again." Georgie passed along. "We are going to be handled by someone else from this point forward."

"Good." Liz didn't make a lot of demands of her publisher. Georgie not being irritated was at the top of the list. This better not be repeated.

"You guys staying in tonight?" Georgie asked as Liz locked up.

"Yeah, but I'm going down to check on Steven first." Liz was forcing herself to make this visit. Really she just wanted to avoid him until they figured out what the hell was going on. She was also worried she was going to grab him and shake him until he explained himself.

Georgie could hear that her friend was less than enthusiastic about the upcoming visit. "I hope that gets better soon."

"Thanks." Liz was grateful that she had everyone around her. The last time she went through trying to figure out how to help Steven she had been alone. Once her brother talked to her, if she needed it Jason was waiting to lend assistance. "Me too. I'll see you tomorrow." They had reached Georgie's floor.

"I'm around, if you need me." Georgie just wanted her to know.

"Thanks." Liz said again before letting the doors close and riding down to her brother's floor.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	61. Chapter 61

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 61

"Hello." Steven let the phone ring a few times before answering it. This wasn't his personal device. This was the phone that the man he was working for had told him not to lose. It was how they would maintain contact.

"Are you home? Yes or no only." Luke gave the instruction.

"Yes." Steven replied following instructions.

"Go outside. I'll wait." Luke, being paranoid by nature, wanted Steven somewhere the conversation might not be overheard. For all he knew the mob guys had wherever Steven was staying wired. It was something Luke would do.

"Okay." Steven simply walked out onto the balcony and closed the door behind him.

"That was fast." Luke said not sure he believed him.

"My apartment has a balcony. No one is one the other two balconies that I can see." Steven let him know. Anything further away and they shouldn't be able to hear him, however they were empty too.

"Nice." Luke was leaning back in his chair and smoking a cigar. "How are things going? Have you found a way to get me the merchandise I sent you to retrieve?"

Steven's stomach rolled at the coldness with which his boss, for lack of a better word, talked about Michael. "Not yet. I haven't even seen him."

"Times ticking boy." Luke said giving not so subtle a reminder. "It's him or your sister. Karpov will be happy either way. The baby goes home, your sister will not."

"I'm working on it. It's not like I can just walk in and carry him out. There are guards and security everywhere." Steven let some of the frustration with the situation come out.

"I gave you something to help you out." Luke said like it was the simplest thing in the world. "You're smart, you can do this."

"You barely know me." Steven said with a lot of sarcasm.

"I'm optimistic." Luke said with a chuckle. "Don't prove me wrong. You have less than two weeks. I'll check in again in a few days." He said before hanging up the phone.

Steven wanted to throw the device over the railing, but he was more afraid of what would happen if it rang and he didn't answer. Last night he had tossed and turned trying to find a way out of this nightmare. He wasn't coming up with one. He wished his brother in-law had more power. However from what Steven knew, not just from Luke but from his own research, the Russians were more ruthless than anyone else. Even Jason's powerful friends might not be strong enough. Steven wasn't brave enough to risk it.

He walked back into the apartment in time for someone to knock on his door. He silently went over and looked out of the peephole to see his sister standing there. He raised his hand to flip the deadbolt, then paused. After talking about taking her son he wasn't ready to face his sister. So he just stood there and watched her until she walked away. Tomorrow when she checked in he would lie and say he was sleeping. Dropping his head to the door he closed his eyes and prayed for this nightmare to end.

* * *

Liz felt relief that her brother didn't come to the door. That was followed by guilt for feeling such relief. Maybe tomorrow she would be ready to talk to him. Now she just wanted to go upstairs and be with her guys.

* * *

"How was he?" Liz sent Jason upstairs alone to put their son to bed. She felt that he needed it. Whatever had been on his mind in Johnny's office was still there.

"Good. You could have joined us." He let her know as he took a seat on the opposite end of the couch.

"I know." Liz never felt shut out.

"You're too far away." Jason reached over and took her hand in his. "I need you closer."

Without hesitating Liz put down her magazine and slid down the couch. Instead of sitting next to him she straddled his thighs so that they were eye to eye. "Tell me." She asked softly while cupping his cheeks. In his brilliant blue orbs she saw a few emotions. Hurt, anger, and pain were all there.

Jason closed his eyes and enjoyed her hands on his skin for a moment. When he opened them again he could see how much she loved him in her beautiful blue eyes. "I have some things to tell you." He started there.

Liz nodded and moved her hands so that they could link fingers.

"I'll start with Robin." Jason said putting his thoughts in order. He appreciated that Elizabeth wasn't rushing him. "Johnny got information today that clears me of any wrongdoing in her death."

Liz didn't say anything, she just leaned over and gave him a soft kiss. "Why was Johnny the person that was contacted?" She wanted to know.

"The WSB didn't contact Johnny. He tapped a source to get an update. It's been a while since we checked on the status of the case." Jason explained how it worked.

"They closed the case, but didn't bother to call you with the results." Liz blinked rapidly in surprise. "I bet that if the results had been different they would have been camped out on our doorstep." She said letting some anger come through.

The fact that she was outraged on his behalf was not surprising. Elizabeth never hesitated to defend him. He didn't get annoyed by the fact that no one reached out until he was cooking dinner. It had been hiding behind the relief. "When I read the file that Johnny gave me I saw it was signed by Robert, Robin's dad. He was convinced that I was the reason his daughter died. I don't think he's ready to let go of that belief, and calling to let me off the hook would force him to do so."

"I'm not going to say anything else. He did lose a child, but I think you know how I feel about how you got this information." Liz tried to remember that Robert was probably still grieving. However having someone contact Jason would have been a nice thing to do for the man Robin had cared about.

"I do know. Robert hated me." Jason just shrugged. "He never hid that. I can put this behind me now."

Liz nodded understanding that it wouldn't happen tomorrow. However Jason would settle from this latest news fairly quickly. "You don't have to let her go completely. You loved her." Liz wanted him to know. "I'm not threatened by her memory. Would you like to get a sapling for her? There is still room near where we put AJ's and Carly's trees."

"No." Jason knew that probably sounded cold. "I don't need to. After she died I set up a trust fund to provide medication to patients who are HIV+ or have AIDS, but can't afford treatment." So Robin was being honored.

Liz just waited because while this was important, it wasn't what had caused her husband's mood shift.

"I found the person who killed AJ and Carly." Jason could feel the anger bubbling up again and pushed it down. Decisions made while in the grip of the rage he was feeling were usually bad ones, and a choice needed to be made.

"Who?" Liz was shocked by this. The official police report had made it sound like finding the person was going to be next to impossible. With no witnesses, and very little physical evidence there just wasn't much to go on. Even knowing Jason had more resources than the police and would never stop searching, she had thought the task was daunting.

"Lucky Spencer." Jason could see the shock in her eyes. "Yes, the same one currently sitting in police custody."

"Why?" Liz wanted to know. "I need to know that."

"I'm going to guess money. That was the reason he came here to try to get custody of Michael. I think Lucky's father Luke planned on getting close to Carly to get access to her bank accounts. Luke used to live here, he left before Carly arrived. Luke worked for Sonny and ran cons on the side. Money has always been Spencer's main reason for breathing. The niece he never knew he had was swimming in it." Jason would fill in the entire history later if his wife needed him to.

"Lucky is very arrogant or very stupid." Liz said as pain of losing her friends hit her again. "He pulled off a pretty much perfect murder and then comes to the place where the family of his victims live."

Jason was wondering about that himself. Logan said he got the impression after talking with Lucky that he wasn't used to thinking for himself. That he did whatever his dad instructed him to. So now Jason was wondering why Luke would pull a move like this. Why would he risk his son's life? While there was no indication that they knew what Lucky had done, it was still a big gamble. Jason would only make a move like this if he had something even bigger planned and needed a distraction.

Tomorrow he would sit down with the guys and bring this up. They needed to have a brainstorming session. They also needed to speak with Lucky and to find Luke. That last thing was already underway. Cooper had landed in Mexico and was looking around while waiting for instructions. There was no guarantee Luke was still in that country, but it was last location they had.

"What happens now?" Normally she wouldn't ask, but she wanted answers.

"We have to get Lucky out of police custody and then let him leave the area." The fact that Elizabeth didn't ask why he was being allowed to leave let Jason know she trusted him, and the plan in place. "We will pick him up in New York City."

"You want the traffic cameras to see him." Liz was filling in the blanks.

"Yeah. New York is a great place to disappear. It also has harbors which are a great way to leave the country." Jason told her why they were sending Lucky there. "We have someone who will assure that is where he ends up."

"Are you going there or is he coming back here?" Liz wanted to know.

"He's coming back here." Jason could see that this conversation was hurting her. "Would you like to speak to him?"

"No." Liz wasn't putting herself through that. "I just wanted to know if you were going out of town. I need notice for business trips, since we are sort of on the topic." She let him know. "I get that emergencies will pop up, but I need to know if you are leaving town before you go. Even if it's just you making a phone call."

"Understood." Jason wouldn't be able to go away without talking to her first.

"After you get your answers will he disappear?" She had no problem with that. In fact it was what she wanted.

"I'm struggling with that." Jason confessed to his wife. "I want nothing more than to remove him from this planet. That will give me closure, but it doesn't do anything for Grandmother, Emily, or Skye. I'm not close with Alan and Monica, but I should consider their needs as well. They deserve to see AJ's and Carly's killer get punished. If I handle things they don't get that."

Liz leaned forward and kissed her husband. Then she wrapped him up tight. He always wanted to take care of those closest to him. Always wanted to make sure the people he cared the most about got what they needed. Especially the three women he just named. "What are you thinking? Tell me so you can hear how it sounds out loud."

"I am considering sending him back to London to stand trial, and then taking him out after a few years in prison. What is stopping me is that I'm selfish enough to want to watch him die." Confessing that you want to murder someone normally would send others running for the hills. Jason wasn't even concerned about Liz being scared. He didn't walk around randomly killing people. Organizations that were trigger happy didn't last very long. He saved that order for those who deserved it.

"Will letting him go to prison make you look weak to other families?" Elizabeth wanted to know.

"Not in the least. The original plan was to let the person go to jail because the family needed that." Jason told her. "He's come after me twice now, and he's right here. Both of those are hard to overlook. He killed my brother, came after my son, and caused you emotional pain. I want him to suffer for that." Jason had to take a breath. "If he goes to prison other families will see it for what it is. Especially when he dies a few years down the line."

"You want my thoughts on the matter?" Liz got that this was a unique situation. Generally he wouldn't be asking her for input on taking someone out.

"Yes, because you need closure too." Jason said raising his hand and cupping her soft cheek. He hadn't included her in the list with the other ladies due to the fact that no matter what Elizabeth would get closure. If he handled things himself he wouldn't keep that from his wife. No matter what she would know that the debt of these murders had been cleared.

Liz closed her eyes and took a moment to think. To really think. She didn't feel as if she was holding anyone's life in her hands. That was because Jason would make the final decision. He just wanted to know how she felt. Someone she loved had been cruelly taken from her, and what she was thinking mattered to the man who held her heart. "No matter what you decide, it won't change anything between us. I need you to know that."

"I do know that." Jason promised her. "Just like no matter what, your decision won't change things between us." He would weigh her opinion heavily when making the final decision though. He trusted her that much. He also recognized that this wasn't your normal married couple conversation. It would be funny if it wasn't so sad.

"You think money is behind this?" Liz asked him.

"Yes. I'm almost one hundred percent convinced of it. AJ was speeding the night they died, he was trying to get away from someone. There was damage to his car which leads us to believe Lucky was trying to force them off the road. That only leaves two outcomes, kidnapping them or killing them right there. The second one doesn't net them anything because I would still get custody of Michael." Lucky wouldn't have been able to get anywhere near the little boy then night of the murders or any time after that. "I plan on asking Lucky when I see him."

"What about the father?" Liz wanted to know.

"We are searching." Jason wasn't going to stop until Luke was found. "I'll be asking Lucky about that too."

Liz nodded and linked her free hand with his again. "I want Lucky to pay for what he did. There is a chance he's going to walk if he goes to court. We don't have any evidence, if it was there the police would have it. I'm also positive that the confession he gives you will not be admissible in court. Once he goes to court making him disappear becomes much harder. So it's best if he doesn't leave New York alive." She gave her answer looking Jason in his eyes. "As for Grandmother and our sisters, tell them it's been handled. They will accept that." She knew that for certain. "Everyone else will just have to deal with their guilt on their own." It sounded cold but Liz's loyalty was not to the rest of the Quartermaines.

"Thank you." Jason had some thinking to do, so he put that subject away. "How are you doing?"

She knew he was asking about the Steven situation. "I went downstairs to see my brother after I ended work for the day."

"How did that go?" Jason was still hoping this was something that they could fix.

"He didn't answer the door." Liz said with a small shrug.

"Why does that make you feel guilty?" Jason wanted to know. He could see that in her expression.

"I didn't want to talk to him. I only went down because that is what I'm supposed to do. I don't like this." Liz admitted quietly. "I want to come out and ask him what is going on, but we've been down this road before. He's going to try to stonewall me. The fact that he hasn't already admitted there is a problem tells me that much."

"Stan hasn't gotten any hits on the picture Renaldo took." Jason told his wife. "We've reached out to some friends in Mexico and further south." As the words came out of his mouth Jason went still.

"Is something wrong?" Liz felt the shift in him.

"Lift up." He said placing a hand on her hip to help Elizabeth stay stable. She did and he retrieved his phone.

"Corelli." Francis answered on the first ring.

"Contact Cooper." Jason started there. "Steven came from Mexico, and we think Luke is there."

"Shit." Francis rubbed a hand over his face. "How the hell did I miss that?"

"You didn't." Jason told his friend. "We've all been running at top speed lately. You and Johnny have been juggling a lot so that I could handle Edward."

"Still one of us should have seen that this might have been a possibility." Francis knew Johnny was going to say the same thing.

"Look at it this way, I do serve a purpose." Jason said grinning. His guys were top notch, nothing was going to change his mind about that.

"Let me call Cooper." Francis told his boss.

"Tell him to be careful. I don't know how dangerous Luke is, or who he is running with. I don't want Cooper hurt." Jason passed along.

"I'll reach out the Castell family and get him some backup." Francis had already informed the Cartels that Jason would be pissed if they messed with his operative. They assured Francis that would not be the case. "I'll give a report in the morning."

"Thank you." Jason hung up the phone and tossed it on the couch. He focused on his wife and saw she had tears running down her face. "What's wrong?" Her crying tore him to shreds.

"Mexico? That wasn't where he said he was going." Liz said realizing that whatever the problem was started before he left for his trip. Then she said the thing that really had her upset. "If he's involved with Luke Spencer, then this probably has something to do with Michael." If that was the case, her brother was in more trouble than ever. There was no way she would ever forgive him threatening her son.

"We don't know for sure, and if he is then we'll figure out how to handle this." Jason wished he could promise that Steven would walk away unharmed, but that might not be case. Even if Elizabeth's brother did walk away, he might have done irreparable damage to their relationship. "Let me get some answers and I'll tell you what we find."

Liz just nodded. "I think I'd like to have a bath." She needed to relax. "Want to join me?"

"That sounds like the perfect way to end the night." Jason leaned forward and gave her a soft kiss before they stood up. He lifted her off her feet and held her close. They would put this out of their minds for the night, hopefully answers would come soon.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	62. Chapter 62

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 62

"Hello." Liz was only half focused on the phone as she answered. She had spent the better part of the morning attempting to work. Writer's block had come to visit, and it didn't appear to be leaving anytime soon. The truly frustrating part was that it wasn't the story, or the sketches that were the problem. No the problem was several floors down in his apartment.

The conversation with Jason was not letting go. Just the thought that her brother could be a threat to her son was one Liz was having a hard time dealing with. She simply didn't want it to be true. She couldn't figure out how it could even be in the realm of the possible that her brother would hurt her like that after she had stood by him. She had risked her own relationship with their parents to support him, so there was no way he should betray her like this.

The only thing that was keeping her from being crushed under the pain that thought carried with it, was that right now this was just an assumption. While it was a fact that her brother had been in Mexico, they didn't know for sure that Luke Spencer was there. Or had been there. Or if he was there that Steven knew him. So maybe her brother wasn't up here on the older man's orders. Maybe he was here for another reason. It was a truly dark day when she wanted her brother to be smuggling drugs so that he wasn't here to harm her son.

"Don't kill me." Brenda started the conversation.

Liz just dropped her head onto the empty sheet of paper on her drafting board. "Brenda." This was the last thing she needed right now.

"I know you said not to come to Port Charles, and for some bizarre reason I couldn't book a flight there. Really, Liz. The machine wouldn't let me. So I flew into Buffalo." The model started explaining. "I need to talk to you."

"Brenda, now isn't a good time for you to be here." Liz just didn't have the energy.

"You said I couldn't come because of the adoption, which I saw in the paper was finalized thanks for calling by the way. Since that's over now, you have time for me." Brenda further explained.

Liz counted to ten. Then she counted to twenty. "The adoption was just one of the things going on with us. I didn't call, because everything isn't cleared up yet." She was trying to hold her temper. "So, no I don't have time right now." Or the patience.

"Well I'm here." Brenda told her friend. "So you may as well come talk to me." It didn't bother her in the slightest that she was being pushy.

"Where are you?" Liz wanted to know feeling her temper start to spike. She would go set her friend straight and then send her on her way.

"The Regency. I booked a meeting room so we could talk." Brenda was grinning because she liked getting her way.

"Pack your clothes. I'm coming over. I'm going to buy you a plane ticket on my way to the meeting. We will talk, and you will leave the state once that talk is over." Liz laid out what was going to happen. "Once you are gone, you will not contact me again. When I'm ready to speak to you I'll call you." That would be at least a couple of months. Right now she just wanted to get through this meeting without killing Brenda.

"Fine." Brenda said rolling her eyes at how dramatic Liz was being. "We can talk about the Deception job too." The model added on. "I saw there is a new CEO. Dominique and I don't really get along." Which meant Brenda now needed Liz to tell her husband to give her the job. "So I'm going to need your help."

"Pack Brenda." Liz repeated. "I'll be there as soon as I can." She stated before hanging up. Her pencils went back into their jar as she got up. Walking down the hall she stuck her head in Georgie's office. "Brenda is in Buffalo."

"She really doesn't believe in calling first does she?" Georgie asked getting that her boss was annoyed. "Will bail be needed?"

"No. Diane won't let me get booked." Liz just shook her head. "Trouble comes in threes. I remember hearing that growing up. Steven is my number three, so Brenda should not be here."

"Actually Steven is your number two." Georgie corrected. "AJ and Carly, plus Edward were all part of the same issue."

"What about the false adoption claim?" Liz pointed out.

"That gets filed under Edward. Sorry." Georgie said with a shrug. "Like a 1-A."

"I'm losing track of the things that are irritating me." Liz said taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. "I won't be gone long. I don't intend to give her more time than necessary. I'll be too annoyed to work when I get back, so you can call it a day."

"I can work even if you aren't here." Georgie said with a smirk. "I'm gifted like that. I have things to keep me busy. Now stop glaring and go to your meeting."

"Brat." Liz said loud enough for her assistant to hear.

"Cute brat." Georgie yelled back. "Remember not to slap her. She needs her face unmarred for all that picture taking." Maxie had worked with Brenda when the model did a cover shoot for Crimson. The words diva had come out of Maxie's mouth as a description of the supermodel. Georgie hadn't thought she was that bad when they met the day of the funeral.

"I'll keep that in the back of my mind. It might even work." Liz said heading for the stairs. She wanted to kiss on Michael before calling Marco. She would call Jason on the way to Buffalo.

* * *

"What do you need from me?" Marco asked as they walked into the hotel. The guys were less than thrilled that Liz was leaving the city on such short notice, however Jason said not to stop her. Frankly he would rather not have Brenda in Port Charles right now. They just didn't need the aggravation.

Since Jason was surrounded by all the guys he sent Rory to follow Marco. The other guard reported in that they didn't have an obvious tail. He used the word obvious because it wasn't unusual for folks to commute between the two cities. They were just two of about thirty cars that merged onto the highway. Any one of them could be a potential threat.

"I may need you to call a cleanup crew." Liz said only half joking.

"Has she always been like this?" Marco wanted to know. The model and Liz made an unlikely pair.

"Yes. When her mother was alive she used to joke that Brenda was a diva from conception. Modeling was probably the only career she could go into, or maybe acting. In her mind the world revolves around her." Liz replied as they walked into the cool interior of the hotel. "That assumption is helped by the fact that she regularly surrounds herself with people who never tell her no."

Marco heard an odd note in his charge's voice. He was wondering if the two women would still be friends when this meeting was over. Liz sounded fed up. Sometimes childhood friends were the hardest to let go of, he knew that for a fact. Considering how much she had already lost, it would be nice if that didn't end up being the case.

"Where are the two of you going to be talking?" Marco really hoped she didn't say the restaurant. With the head of steam Liz had going things might get loud.

"Meeting room five. She said to go up the grand staircase and make a left. It will be the third door on the right." Liz told her friend. "I wouldn't meet her out in the open. I've been around long enough to know that." She said with a smirk.

Marco just laughed. "Are the photographers outside for her?"

"Probably. I'm guessing she checked in under her real name. She doesn't do aliases." She further explained. "Brenda always wants everyone to know what she is doing." Liz was losing the battle with her temper.

"A move like that can bite you in the butt." Marco commented as they reached their destination.

* * *

"What do you have?" Cabrera wanted to know.

"She went into a hotel." His guy reported. "I hacked into the main frame to see who is staying here that she might know. Nothing popped. Although there is a model in residence, so maybe I'll get a peek at her." He said laughing. "Then this won't be a wasted trip."

"Hold on. Let me see if I can get any information." Eddie ended the call and dialed Steven. "Your sister is in Buffalo, we want to know why."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Steven asked confused.

"Don't talk back." Eddie warned the man he was here to watch. "Just get me an answer."

When the dial tone sounded in his ear Steven just frowned. Not because he had to call Liz, but because he now had proof that they were watching her. His hands were trembling as he dialed the ten digits.

"It's Steven." Liz was about to knock on the closed meeting room door. "Hey."

"Hey, I'm feeling better and I was wondering if I could come up for a visit." He was proud of how level his voice was. He even managed to sound a little chipper.

"I'm meeting Brenda right now. When I get back I'll call you." Liz told her brother as she raised her hand and knocked.

"Okay. Maybe I'll go out and get something for my nephew." Steven told his sister.

"I have to go." Liz said as Brenda opened the door. She did turn to Marco. "He may be going out." The guys would want to know that.

The guard just nodded. With Steven's unit wired there was no need to call this in.

* * *

Steven walked out of his unit and down to the elevator. While waiting he took out his work phone and sent a text message to the man who just called him.

Eddie read the message and grinned. He in turn made a call of his own to his guy in Buffalo. "She's there to see Brenda Barrett. So that peek you wanted to get might just happen. I have instructions for you."

The man behind the wheel listened and when the call was done he got out of his truck so he could get to work.

* * *

"I ordered coffee." Brenda said closing the door behind her friend. She didn't even ask Marco to come in.

"You're plane leaves in two hours." Liz said looking at her watch, and getting right down to business. "Start talking, you need time to deal with airport security."

"My marriage is over." Brenda told her friend. "I stopped off in the Dominican Republic to make that official."

Liz just shook her head, she had called it. "What happened?"

"You could sound more sympathetic when asking." Brenda said being snippy.

"You could not just drop in and expect me to fix your life." Liz shot back. "I told you now was not a good time, and yet you are still here. I have things in my life to deal with other then the fact that you have buyer's remorse."

"Wow. That is harsh." Brenda hadn't ever seen Liz like this. That didn't stop her from thinking that maybe her friend had bigger fish to fry though. Instead of considering that maybe things in Port Charles really were that bad, Brenda just kept going. "This time it wasn't my fault."

Liz didn't say anything. Her friend tended to get bored, quickly, with men. So yeah when her relationships ended it was generally because she decided it was time for someone new. "I'm waiting."

"Alek got a call from his father. I thought Theo was dead, but it turns out that isn't the case." Brenda said thinking this would get her some sympathy.

Liz did soften some because that had to be shocking. "Is Alek involved in his father's business?" Theo Hoffman was an international terrorist, and it was said he died when his yacht blew up. Although no body was ever found.

"He said no. Theo called a few days into our honeymoon to congratulate us on the marriage. We've been fighting ever since. Alek claims that he didn't even know his father was still alive." Brenda explained to her friend.

"If Alek is saying he didn't know, then why are you ending the marriage?" Liz asked confused. "Do you think he is lying about that?" Brenda's now ex-husband had been raised by his grandmother from a very young age. He said he barely even remembered his father.

"He seemed genuinely surprised." Brenda could admit that.

"So why did you divorce him?" Liz was clearly missing something.

"I can't afford to be connected to a criminal, it will destroy my image." Brenda said like it was a no brainer. "I'm America's sweetheart, I'm not throwing that away."

"So you left the man you stood up in front of everyone and vowed to stand by no matter what to deal with the shock of finding out his father's alive on his own." Liz said wondering how she missed the fact that Brenda had turned into a total bitch. "You have always been shallow and selfish, but even for you this is new low."

"When you say it like that it sounds really bad." Brenda didn't want to look at her behavior. She just wanted to blame Alek.

"It is bad!" Liz said exasperated. "You said you loved him. That doesn't mean dropping him and running when he needs you the most. What the hell, Brenda?!"

"You're supposed to be on my side. That's what friends do." Brenda said getting annoyed.

"Friends, real friends, tell you when you're wrong." Liz shot back. "Have you even called him since you bailed? His whole world turned upside down with one call. He could probably use a friend, or a wife, right about now." Liz felt incredibly bad for Alek. "At the very least you should have stayed to find out for sure if he had been lying to you or not. Or were you already looking for an out?"

Brenda huffed in annoyance. Contacting Alek wasn't going to happen. The man was way too charming and she just knew if they got back together her career was going to pay for it. "Let's talk about Deception." She said changing the topic.

"There's nothing to talk about." Liz just looked at her friend. "There is no way you're getting the contract. I don't even know why you want it."

"I want it because Deception is one of the biggest names in cosmetics. Are you going to block me from working for the company because of Alek?" Brenda asked stunned. It was almost like she didn't know the person in front of her.

"No, I'm just trying to help save your career." Liz said being sarcastic.

"What does that mean?" Brenda wanted to know.

"Your image." Liz reminded her friend. "Considering my husband, the alleged mobster, owns Deception there is no way you should be anywhere near it. I mean I guess I'm lucky that just the supposition of what Jason may do for a living hasn't already destroyed my career."

"It's kind of hard to destroy something that no one knows about." Brenda said throwing attitude back. "You are still being a coward and hiding behind a fake name. Elizabeth Morgan is a nobody. No one cares if she is married to a criminal."

"Not all of us are fame whores." Liz wasn't going to take crap from Brenda. "I don't need to have photographers following me down the street, or people clamoring for autographs. I'm more than what other people think of me, apparently you are not."

"I guess that lack of concern about your reputation includes me." Brenda was trying to figure out how they got to this point. Liz was supposed to be saying how this was Alek's fault.

"It does." Liz told the woman on the other side of the table. Someone she had known most of her life, and who she was going to be walking away from. Maybe for good. "No one disrespects my husband, and my marriage." She said in a cold voice. "You want to stand there judging him and me, then still come to town and have him pay you. No, not going to happen. You will not be working for Deception, and you are not welcome back in Port Charles."

Brenda just looked at one of her oldest friends. It sounded like she had finally pushed Liz to the breaking point. Over the years they had come close on a couple of occasions, and Brenda had to admit it was always her fault. She was selfish, and apparently Liz had finally had enough. "So this is it. You're just going to walk away when my life is falling apart." The model said pouting.

"Your life is only falling apart because you're selfish. Grow up and realize that not everything is about you. It's long past time that happened." Liz said before simply walking out and slamming the door behind her.

* * *

"Didn't go well?" Marco asked as they headed to the car.

"Not even close." Liz was actually shaking she was so upset. "She should be leaving shortly. I want to sit in the car and make sure she does."

Marco nodded, as long as they didn't stay for too long that should be fine. "We are coming out." He called Rory.

"Everything is all clear." Rory had been keeping watch. Some folks had been roaming the parking lot, but no one approached him or the other car. That was all that mattered.

Marco got Liz settled and started the car. In the rear view mirror he watched Brenda come out of the hotel. "She's coming out, with a lot of luggage." The reporters went into a frenzy.

"It was piled up in the meeting room. She doesn't know what packing light is." Liz was sitting next to Marco and also watching Brenda. Her luggage was being loaded up while she posed for the cameras. "We can go now."

"Yup." He said putting the car in gear. He tapped the horn and Rory responded in kind. They were driving toward the exit of the lot in front of the hotel and Marco looked into his rear view mirror again. The model was getting into her car. "You should give it some time and then call her."

"I probably will." Liz grinned at her friend. "Brenda and I can really go at it. I don't see us being as close as we were. Some of the things she said I might not be able to move past, and vice versa. So I have to prepare myself for the fact that we might not be friends when the smoke clears. Right now I think we both need some space."

As they were turning out of the lot Liz looked in the rear view mirror and saw Brenda getting into her car. Elizabeth was still watching when the car exploded sending a giant fireball into the air.

* * *

In his truck the crew member called Eddie. "Message sent."

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	63. Chapter 63

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 63

Jason walked into the meeting room to find Johnny and Francis already waiting. "Renaldo is coming now." They had all been at the warehouse for a few hours, but the meeting couldn't happen until now. Which was actually fine because it gave them all time to make some calls and tap some sources.

Renaldo came in and grabbed some coffee. "Cody is behind me."

All eyes turned to the doorway as the head of security came in. "Sorry to hold everyone up." He grabbed a bottle of water and took a seat.

"Well?" Jason looked at his friend. They had business to discuss, however a few minutes could be spared for this.

"Everything is fine." Cody let his friends know. Skye had a prenatal appointment this morning. He had offered to skip it, but Jason insisted he go. The reason he gave was that he didn't want the ladies of the family pissed off at him. He was grinning while saying it. The truth was, family came first. Not just Jason's family, even though as his sister Skye fell into that category, but everyone's family.

"That's it?" Johnny looked over.

"That's what you want to hear." Cody took a swallow of water.

"No gender?" Francis wanted to know. They were all waiting for news. There was a sizable pool going and folks wanted to know if they were still in the running to win the pot.

"Yeah." Cody said with a grin.

"And?" Jason asked trying not to laugh. "You're not an enforcer anymore, so we aren't scared of you. Spill so I don't need to tell Renaldo to work you over. Or have you not told Lila yet?" Their grandmother would get the news first.

"We called her from the doctor's office. Skye is going to tea later." Cody passed along.

"You should go to that. I doubt there is anything you'll be needed for, and if anything major happens we can call you." Jason told his friend.

"Thanks." Cody did want to be there to show off the sonogram pictures.

"He still hasn't told us if the baby is a boy or a girl." Renaldo pointed out.

"Girl." Cody said with a bright smile. He wanted a daughter, Skye wanted a boy. A healthy baby was the main goal, but his beautiful girlfriend said that any daughter of theirs was going to be a spoiled nightmare. Cody hadn't disagreed, he wanted a princess and he was getting one. "We get to fight over names now." He was looking forward to it.

"Sit down with Renaldo and Kyle to pick a guard for the baby." Jason told his friend. "Milo can start training them now. Same with Lee and whoever you select for your nanny."

"How long is the wait list for a Norland nanny?" Cody asked Johnny.

"Probably years." Johnny said being honest. "Never hurts to put in an application. Stan might be able to provide some assistance." They wouldn't ask Nadine to take on the second baby because the kids couldn't be together all the time. Playdates were going to happen, probably often, however Jason would travel at times and so would Skye. Which meant they each needed their own childcare provider. "I do know that with a Norland nanny already here it improves your chances of getting one. This is a proven good work environment." He shared what he had learned.

"Skye and I will fill out an application tonight." Cody looked around the table. "We can do real work now."

"If we have to." Francis was happy for his friend. He and Diane were thinking of expanding their family through adoption. She had said that after learning more about the process they would do better with an overseas adoption, so they were going to look into that.

"Or not." Jason grinned as his phone rang. "Morgan.

"Hi." Liz had to smile talking to him. Since he was at the warehouse she got right to why she was calling. "Brenda is here."

"Why?" Jason asked frowning. He covered the phone. "Brenda is here." He watched his guys roll their eyes.

"No clue. She's in Buffalo because if she comes here she knows I'll keep her from getting the contract you are offering." Liz explained as they got on the elevator. Even when in crisis mode her friend was thinking about the bottom line. "I'm going to go talk to her now. Marco is driving."

"Be careful." Jason didn't want her out of the city without him at the moment, but realistically he couldn't lock her down. He also didn't want Brenda hanging around and possibly irritating Elizabeth, since they were dealing with Steven. "Call me when you get back."

"I will do both." Liz said as they reached the garage. "If we can meet for lunch I'll tell you what she wanted then." Maybe she could swing by his office once she was done talking to Brenda. "If not I'll tell you at dinner." Liz finished up.

"Sounds good." Jason said before ending the call. "Elizabeth is on her way to Buffalo to talk to Brenda. Marco is with her."

"I'll send him a message, when he can he'll check in with details." Renaldo pulled out his phone. Mainly they wanted to know where in Buffalo Liz was. The territory was currently empty so they didn't have to get permission to enter it. The downside of it being empty was that any family in the area could operate businesses in it, unless the Don told them not to.

"Since I'm here send Rory with them. Tell him to be on the lookout for tails. I want to see if the man following Steven, follows Elizabeth too." Jason waited while everyone made their calls. "Francis." The blonde mob boss looked at one of his second in commands as the meeting got underway.

The Italian nodded as they got back on track. "I sent Shawn down to Mexico along with a small crew. They will back up Cooper. Even if Steven isn't working with Luke, we still want the older man for sending his son here."

"Luke was running a small operation out of New Mexico, mostly cards and tracking people, but didn't have any real power." Johnny said going through his notes. "We have no indication that Luke's reach went beyond his small town, so how did he possibly get Steven under his thumb? We have no proof that they even know one another." They were potentially missing pieces because the intersection point hadn't been discovered yet. "What did Steven do to make it so Luke owned him?"

"He ran into financial trouble a while back. That could be it." Renaldo was also reviewing the file that Stan put together. "Do we know what that is about?"

"No." Francis answered his boss. "We are digging further into that. Steven's debit card was used to make the withdrawals. Right now we have no proof that it wasn't him taking out the cash. The odd part is that the withdrawals are regular, too regular to indicate blackmail." If you took that much money from the person you had something on, they would be bled dry in no time. "Not in big clumps, but pretty much the same amount several times a week. He just kept taking out money until it was gone. Shortly after that he opened a new account, but the regular withdrawals stopped. I'm thinking he fell off the wagon, but not necessarily with alcohol."

"He could have been buying drugs." Cody said looking at the financials. "Although he should be a mess if he was taking that many drugs. Right now none of the information we have indicates he was taking anything heavy. Maybe he was buying pot."

"What about gambling?" Renaldo wanted to know. "These could be payments to a loan shark."

"That's possible." Jason nodded at his enforcer. "Who controls the area where Steven lived? Where would he go for money?"

"The better question is who isn't down there?" Johnny threw down his pen and leaned back in his chair. "Everyone has a piece of the area. We're down there." He meant the Costa Nostra. "The Asian Mafia is there, so is the Bratva." Which were the Russians. "There are also chapters of well-known gangs, and motorcycle clubs. To find out who he crossed we need to know where he got in trouble."

"We need to talk to Steven." Jason looked around the table and everyone was in agreement.

"Do we want to do it, or do we want Liz to do it?" Francis asked his boss.

"I have been completely honest with her." Jason told the guys. "I was with her last night and we were talking when it occurred to me that Luke and Steven may have been in Mexico at the same time." Jason paused for a moment. "I'm worried about what him admitting he is working with Luke is going to do to her. We've been dealing with a lot of shit from my family, I don't want Elizabeth to have to deal with any from her family too."

"We get that you want to protect her. So do we." Johnny said speaking for the guys. "If her brother is working with Luke, or even if he's not, Liz is in for some heartbreak. We all know something is up. People don't just follow you around for no reason."

"The guy who is following Liz's brother isn't coming up on anyone's radar." Renaldo took over. "We have no idea where he came from, who he is, or who sent him. Nor do we know what his orders are. We can't even snatch him because we don't know if he's here alone." The guy hadn't made a single call during his shifts of watching the building.

"Steven got a call yesterday and took it out on the balcony. He got another call today, but the conversation was too brief for us to get anything useful from it." Cody addressed the group. "We need access to his phone."

Jason was taking it all in. The guys were right, Elizabeth wasn't going to be able to be protected from this situation. Realistically she might be the only person Steven voluntarily talked with. "Call the doc. I want something that will loosen my brother in-law's tongue. Beating the information out of him needs to be avoided." Everyone at the table nodded. "Let me talk with Elizabeth. I want her to know what we are planning on doing."

"Are you going to give her option to be there?" Johnny wanted to know.

"That's not even a choice." Francis answered before Jason did. "She's going to need to hear him say why he's here for herself." It was going to shred her heart if they were right about the Luke connection.

"What about Lucky?" Jason switched topics. There wasn't anything else to discuss where Steven was concerned, at least for the moment.

"He's getting sprung in the morning. Reggie is here and just waiting to get started. He's going to get picked up by a couple of chase cars about an hour down the road. Until that happens he won't have any backup." Johnny wasn't too thrilled about that, because they didn't know how skilled Lucky was. It was clear he still had a lot to learn, but spotting a tail was often one of the first things you learned on the grift. Generally after how to spot a cop.

"What is going to work in our favor is that this stretch of the highway takes everyone down to the main interstate." Francis commented on the plan. "All the cars are going in the same direction for a good click, unless they are getting off at one of the rest stops."

"So they'll see the same cars for a while." Renaldo knew what Francis meant. "Our guys will be hiding in plain sight." No one was driving a company car which would also help.

"Exactly." Johnny nodded indicating that his friend was correct. "Reggie is going to try to slip Lucky a sedative if the opportunity presents itself. Maybe in a coffee or some other drink. I'm not expecting that to be the case though." However the guard would be prepared.

"What's his story?" Cody wanted to know. He meant what was Reggie going to say to Lucky to explain his presence. "We know Lucky couldn't reach his dad."

"Reggie is going to say he's been in the area the entire time, and was just waiting for Luke to send instructions." Johnny liked to keep things simple. "After that Reggie will need to think on his feet, but I picked him because he is very good at that."

"I trust Reggie to make the right call." Jason knew the guard and he was good at his job. "I don't expect that he is going to get a chance to go the drug route. Which is fine. I can wait until a couple of days to talk with Lucky Spencer." It took four hours, in uncongested traffic, to get to New York City. Another hour needed to be added to the drive to get to the harbor where Lucky would be contained. He was going to be put on a train which would bring him back early in the morning the day after tomorrow. By the time the sun set on that day Lucky would more than likely be dead. Jason wasn't going to waste time especially since he still had to deal with Steven. The only thing that might save the younger Spencer's life was if he could be used as bait. Considering his dad sent him here, it was highly unlikely Luke was going to show up now to save his kid's life.

The door flew open and everyone at the table looked up. Paulie was standing there. "What?" Francis asked the guard.

"There's been an explosion in Buffalo." Paulie passed along the report. He had been downstairs when Rory got the order to head out. "Early reports are saying a car bomb."

Jason didn't comment but just pulled out his phone. He didn't have any missed calls or texts. Before he could hit one on the speed dial, the device began to vibrate in his hands.

* * *

The car behind them exploded and in response Marco hit his gas giving the SUV a little more gas. However he made sure to not exceed the speed limit because he didn't want to get pulled over. Right now his main priority was getting Liz out of the city and back to Port Charles. He wasn't sure what the threat was, and he wasn't sticking around to get answers. Already they could hear sirens approaching their location. "Liz, call Jason." Marco wanted his boss to hear from her sooner rather than later.

She was sitting in the front passenger seat simply unable to move. The car just exploded while she was watching. There was no way Brenda would have survived that, and there was no doubt that the car that blew up belonged up to her.

"Liz." Marco took another turn and in the opposite lane police cars were rushing to the scene. "Liz!" He said a little sharper. He was worried that she was going into shock. Watching someone die could do that to a person. All the cars were wired with hands free interfaces and Marco hit the button to activate it as he took the turn that would lead them to the highway. He also checked the rear view mirror to make sure Rory was still with them.

"Where is Elizabeth?" Jason didn't have time for small talk.

"Next to me in the car. We were leaving when the other car blew." Marco responded while merging onto the expressway. "We are on the highway now."

"What car?" Francis wanted to know. Jason's phone was on speaker.

"Brenda's." Marco quickly looked out of the corner of his eye at his charge. She was still sitting there stock still and way too silent.

"Shit." Johnny looked at the guys.

"Elizabeth." Jason knew his friend was on the hands free. The guys knew not to talk and drive any other way. The cops would pull them over for sure.

"I think she's in shock." Marco replied when Liz didn't. Her breathing was increasing and he could see that she was shaking. "Where are you?" He needed to get her to Jason.

"He'll be at the Towers." Renaldo told his colleague. They had protocol for times like this. Jason would be locked down while they looked into this. So would Francis, Johnny, and Cody. "Take her there." Renaldo was sending out texts. "Paulie take Francis home. I've alerted Sal to make sure he has Diane in his line of vision. Hank is being tagged about Skye. Where is Gia today?" Renaldo asked Johnny. Before he could put his phone down it vibrated. "Milo wants you to know that Michael is in the penthouse."

"Home." Johnny was happy that this was her day off. "I'm going to send her a message. If Liz is in shock she needs to be looked at."

"We will be at the Towers in about twenty minutes." Marco said ending the conversation.

"Let's go Jason." Renaldo would get his bosses home. "Johnny, Kyle is meeting us downstairs to drive you home." They couldn't be in the same car at the moment.

Jason put his phone away and followed his enforcer out of the boardroom. He was trying to stay calm, to call on the reserve he was known for. Having his wife so far away with things this uncertain had him unnerved though. "We need to know why someone would target Brenda. The obvious answer would be because of her new husband's dead father." It would be odd for someone to target the model because of her friendship with Elizabeth. If they wanted to start a war with Jason there were quicker ways to do it. "I just want to know for sure."

"Once I get you back to the Towers I can head over and see what has been uncovered." Renaldo got behind the wheel and when Jason was in the car they took off.

* * *

Steven was wandering the baby center trying to pick something to buy for the little boy he was supposed to kidnap. It was just another step up the ladder of hypocrisy that he was climbing. He had every intention of going to visit the penthouse not to see his nephew, but to check out the security setup.

The feeling that he could find a way out of this situation had been completely crushed. There was a man following his sister, and Jason clearly had no idea. Steven looked at a large stuffed animal as the thought that he was in a position to possibly cause his remaining sister's death went through his head. His bad choice killed Sarah, and another bad choice was going to destroy his relationship with Liz.

He was reaching for the smiling bear when the phone in his pocket rang. He was starting to have a physical response to that ringtone. Sweat was already forming on his forehead. He was also shaking.

Steven extracted the phone, it had only rang once which was odd. Looking at the home screen he saw why. He had gotten a video text. Tapping on the envelope he watched his sister walk out a large building with her guard behind her. The camera stayed focused on the front door and Steven watched as Brenda walked out. She posed for some photographers while luggage was loaded into her trunk, and then got behind the wheel. Not even five seconds later the car exploded. His heart was beating hard as the screen went white. Before he could turn off the phone words popped up on the screen. "We are serious, next time it will be your sister." He read softly in a trembling voice. "What am I going to do?" He asked the empty aisle as the weight of the situation threatened to crush him.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	64. Chapter 64

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 64

Marco pulled into his reserved space near the elevator. A few cars down Jason was getting out of his vehicle. O'Brien was doing the same in the row across from them. Marco was at the back of the SUV by the time his boss, Johnny, Renaldo, and Kyle walked over. Jason simply kept going which didn't surprise anyone.

"How is she?" Johnny wanted to know. Gia said to give a holler when she needed to go up to the penthouse.

"Hasn't said a word. No tears. She's just shaking and staring straight ahead." Marco was seriously worried.

The guys all looked over at where their boss was with his wife.

Jason opened the car door and reaching over he unbuckled Elizabeth's seatbelt. He wasn't going to try and talk to her down here. Instead he simply picked her up, cradling her gently against his chest. "Ask Gia to meet us upstairs, please." Jason requested as he headed to the elevator. His wife was shaking hard, and he could feel her heart beating in her chest. After stepping into the elevator he placed a kiss on her temple as Marco pushed the button for the lobby.

They switched elevators and when it stopped on the fourteenth floor Gia got on. Her friend was too pale and lying listlessly in her husband's arm. "Has Liz said anything?" The news reports were already talking about the explosion and that someone had been in the car when it went up. So far Liz's name hadn't been mentioned which was good. The last thing she needed was the press descending on her.

"No." Jason replied as they got off the elevator and walked into the penthouse. Nadine stood up and he could see by her face that she was concerned, but to her credit she didn't pepper them with a lot of questions.

"I'll get a blanket." Nadine knew that the guest bedrooms were furnished so she would grab a cover from one of them.

"Should I put Elizabeth down?" Jason asked not really wanting to.

"On the couch." Gia put her bag on the table and opened it up. She needed to get some vitals to see if Liz needed to go to the hospital.

Jason gently put his wife down and as he went to move away Elizabeth grabbed his shirt. "It's okay." He said sitting at her hip.

"Don't go." Liz said speaking for the first time since all this happened. She hadn't ever seen anyone die before. It was horrifying.

"I won't." Jason covered her hands with his and urged her to release the fabric. When she did he placed her hands on his thighs and covered them. "I'll stay right here."

Gia had no problem with that. "Hey." She said in a soothing tone. "Can I take your blood pressure?" She wanted to keep Liz talking.

"Okay." Liz's voice was trembling. She held out her arm. While she wanted to talk about Brenda, about what she saw, the words wouldn't come out. "I don't want to go to the hospital." If she went then they would want her to answer questions. She didn't feel like being grilled at the moment.

Gia looked at the numbers. Before answering she took Liz's pulse, temperature, and then listened to her heart. "Right now you don't need to, but I want to keep an eye on you for a little while. Let's get Liz something to drink."

"I can do that." Nadine was standing off to the side, trying to stay out of the way. No one had told her to leave yet so she hadn't. If Jason wanted her to take Michael down to her apartment she didn't want him to have to look for her. "Water or juice."

"Juice. Orange if there is any." Gia looked back at her friend. "Would you like a sedative? I can give you something mild." The fact that Liz was now talking had the doctor relaxing.

"No." Liz was gripping Jason's hand tight. She was still trying to make herself believe what she saw.

"Thanks." Gia took the cold glass from Nadine. "Liz, I want you to drink this."

Liz wasn't thirsty but she sat up and drank the juice anyway. The shaking was getting worse, and Jason had to cover her hand to help her. Something about that, about seeing his hand over hers made her feel so secure. For some reason it really solidified that fact that she was home, and safe, and that no matter what was going on outside their door she was okay. It let her stop holding back and the tears came.

Jason hoped to go the rest of his life and never hear her make a sound like this again. It was one of raw pain. He was holding her as tight as he dared and he still wanted her closer. Lifting his eyes he looked over at Gia, he could see concern and empathy on her face. "Sedative." He said while rocking his wife. Despite Elizabeth saying earlier she didn't want one, she was crying so hard he was worried she was going to make herself sick.

Gia didn't hesitate to get out the pill. Honestly she was glad Jason made that decision, because she was just about to suggest it again. While she did her best to respect her patients' wishes occasionally it was necessary to overrule them. This was one of those moments. Having the sedative now wouldn't lessen the grief, it was just at the moment Gia was worried about Liz causing herself physical harm on top the emotional pain she was going through.

Before he could even ask for it a glass of water was being handed to him and looking up he saw Georgie had joined them. "Thanks." He took the beverage and then the pill that Gia was holding out. "Baby." Jason gently moved Elizabeth away. "Take this. I want you to rest."

Liz didn't even hesitate. Forgetting for a bit sounded much better now than it did a minute ago. "We had a fight." She told Jason after swallowing the pill. "I left that room so angry at her. I don't know if we would have fixed things between us, but we won't get the chance now. Even if our friendship was really over, we never got the chance to decide it for ourselves." This was almost the exact opposite of the situation with Carly, but that didn't mean Liz wouldn't grieve the loss.

"I'll get you the answers you need." Jason promised her. No matter how long it took he would get what she needed. "Want to see Michael?" That might make her feel good.

"Yeah." Liz said giving him a small smile. Kissing on her son was just what she needed right now.

"How fast will the sedative work?" Liz asked Gia.

"In about ten minutes you'll be out, probably for a couple of hours or so." Gia would leave a few pills with Jason in case Liz wanted one later to help her sleep. It was doubtful she would need any past today. What they would want to keep a watch for was signs of anxiety or PTSD. That last one was doubtful, but Liz did watch someone die today.

Nadine handed the little boy to his dad and stepped back to give them some space. Everyone else was hanging out in the kitchen, and she went to join them.

Jason put Michael on his mother's lap and the little boy simply leaned into Elizabeth. It was almost like he knew she needed to be comforted. They just sat in silence until she started blinking owlishly. Jason gathered up their son but didn't ask Nadine to take him just yet. "I'd like you stay on the couch, if that's okay." Once she was sleeping he would be talking with the guys. He just wanted her close so he could keep an eye on her.

"Okay." Liz said stretching out and letting him cover her with the blanket. She blinked twice and the third time she closed her eyes she fell asleep.

"Nadine, can you please take Michael down to your apartment? He'll be coming back up for bedtime." Jason didn't want her overhearing what they would be talking about.

"Sure thing." Nadine gathered the small child up and rocked him slightly. "Are we restricted to the building?" If not she would grab the stroller.

"For the time being yes." Jason said getting to his feet. Johnny must have seen him stand up because his friend came out of the kitchen with Georgie behind him.

"How is she?" Georgie wanted to know.

"A mess." Jason said being honest.

"I'm going to take Michael downstairs, want to hang out with us?" Nadine asked her friend. Milo would probably be needed up here, and honestly Nadine was hoping for some company. She wasn't going to pepper Georgie with a lot of questions, but the nanny would be lying if she said she wasn't a little rattled.

"That sounds like fun." Georgie knew these situations were easier if you had someone with you. She could also maybe answer some questions if Nadine had them. "Can I help you carry anything down?" They should leave now.

"I have dupes of everything downstairs, so we can just go." Nadine gave a smile to Renaldo as they headed out. She would be praying that he, and everyone, stayed safe.

"I can sit here with Liz." Gia would turn on the television and veg. Even if she overheard the conversation the guys were about to have she wouldn't say anything. Something they all knew.

"Thanks." Jason gave Elizabeth a quick kiss. As he was standing Francis walked through the door. Having him here was surprising. During uncertain times the power base had to be spread out between different locations. With Jason and Johnny in the building Francis shouldn't be here.

"How is she?" The big Italian wanted to know.

"Devastated." Jason told his friend. "Right now she is sedated, tomorrow is soon enough to start sorting through her emotions."

Francis nodded. "In the kitchen." Jason could still see her from there.

"What's up?" Johnny got things rolling.

"Just a sec. Cody is on his way up. He sent me a text as I was getting off the elevator." Francis said starting coffee.

"Should I head over to Buffalo now, or wait?" Renaldo looked between his bosses.

"Wait." Francis was running things right now so that Jason didn't have to.

Cody walked into the kitchen as mugs of coffee were being handed out. "I got Skye settled at the house. We took a raincheck with Lila." He said taking a seat at the island. "What do we know?"

"The WSB is in Buffalo." Francis started there. This was why he came over.

"Really?" Jason found that to be surprising. Not that they were here, with but with how fast they revealed their presence.

"Apparently they were keeping tabs on Brenda. They weren't keeping eyes directly on her, but just keeping her on their radar." Francis began explaining. "It turns out Theo Hoffmann is very much alive, and has been in contact with his son."

"Him reaching out compromises his security." Johnny said not liking that development. Hoffmann was smart, too smart for such a move. "Were they trying to get Brenda to flip on her husband?"

"No." Francis's source had been quite generous with the information, for a reason. "Brenda and Alek were fighting after he got a call from his father. She accused him of lying about his dad being dead. Not long after that Alek got another call, which was when she left and ended the marriage via a quick divorce in the Dominican Republic. After the first call she accused Alek of working with his father. Which isn't true. He wants nothing to do with that life, but he does want Brenda back. Or he did." Francis said switching tenses. "He reached out to the WSB thinking it would bolster his efforts to get his wife to return, and it would prove he was clean."

"Alek is in protective custody?" Jason guessed. Francis had a lot of information from inside the marriage. Which would meant either Alek or Brenda had shared it.

"Yes. Alek can prove that the Balkan is still alive. He apparently recorded the second call. Using his cell phone they are going to try to figure out what part of the world Hoffmann is calling home. The WSB believes Brenda was taken out as a warning from Theo to Alek to stay quiet." Francis passed along.

"That's beyond messed up." Cody said shaking his head.

"They want something from us." Francis looked around the room. "If Brenda talked about her father in-law to Liz, they want that information to stay in house. I say if because even though the two women were friends, and in the same location at the same time, at the moment there is no proof they talked to each other today." Liz could have been in that hotel for any number of reasons.

"Are they coming here to interview Elizabeth?" Jason didn't want them near his wife.

"No." Francis shook his head. "They are convinced Brenda didn't have any real information on Hoffmann, which means she had nothing to share other than the fact that he is alive. That information is not considered sensitive since most people already believe that to be true. So Liz should not be a target. They are also convinced that if the Balkan comes here, he will end up dead." Which was a safe bet. Jason would destroy him if he went after Liz.

"When will they know for sure?" Renaldo asked Francis.

"Probably never. Unless they get their hands on the bomber, or on Hoffmann." Francis said with a shrug. "It used to be you could tell who did a job by the materials used and the way the bombs were put together. With the international black market for weapons being so successful you can now get explosives from anywhere around the world. Same with talent."

"With so many ports in the area, even if the bomber was here they could already be gone. Or they could be standing in the crowd watching the police work." Cody pointed out. "There are a lot of people with no faces on file."

"Good point." Jason looked at his guys. "I want all our holdings locked down for the time being. If this person is still in the area, and Hoffmann is worried about Elizabeth, they may try something."

The penthouse door opened and everyone looked over at the entry way to the kitchen. Kyle walked in and nodded to his bosses. "I just got a report from Liam. He was following Steven today. He said Liz's brother went to the baby center, and at almost the same time that Brenda's car went up he got a call. Liam said that the device it came in on was not Steven's personal phone. Liam also said that Steven looked really shook up and immediately left the store."

No one said anything for a few moments as they all thought about this new information. "It's not within the realm of the impossible that Steven is somehow involved with the Balkan, but honestly I don't see it." Jason was the first one to speak. "He isn't known for using average citizens. One of the reasons that he is so hard to catch is that he uses seasoned pros. Steven is just too risky."

"I gotta agree with Jason." Cody looked around the island. "Whatever spooked him might not have anything to do with Brenda."

"Liam said that when Steven left the building he was as jumpy as a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs." Kyle passed along. "His exact words."

Johnny leaned into his high backed barstool. "Too many loose ends."

"Exactly." Francis was leaning against the sink. "He's going to be coming up to see his sister. There is no way he won't. The listening devices let us know he hasn't been sick, he's just been avoiding Liz. It also confirmed that something is going on." Steven had a habit of talking to himself while pacing. He hadn't said enough to give them a clue to what he had gotten mixed up in, but yeah they knew he was in trouble. "With us expecting Lucky, it might just be time to talk to Steven."

"About that." Cody said getting everyone's attention. "The doc said we need to be careful about drugging Steven up. With him being in recovery, if we give him the wrong thing it can push him off the wagon. So we may not want to go that route."

"We just need to hope that he wants to talk to us?" Johnny wasn't too enthusiastic about that.

"He's not from our world. Scaring him into spilling his guts shouldn't be hard." Jason looked at his guys. "He's ready to crack, hell he's practically falling apart already. Once we start asking questions we just won't let up. If we just keep at him, I'm positive he will tell us what we want to know."

"Scare it out of him?" Cody could handle that. "Even if we aren't scarier than who he is running from, his nervous state will help."

"We are scarier than Luke. I haven't seen him in years, but I'm willing to put money on that." Francis told his friends.

"I promised Elizabeth answers about what happened to Brenda." Jason looked at Francis. "Thank you for coming over right away so that I can give her something when she wakes up. I know the situation is ongoing, so I will tell her that this is what the WSB suspects happened. They had a fight, it was pretty bad. I'm worried about the toll guilt will take on Elizabeth."

"Friends fight. This isn't even the first time they've gone at it. I have known Liz long enough to know that. I thought she was going to kill Brenda when the model came for that visit. I still don't know what she said to Carly, but Liz was breathing fire by the time she got to Brenda." Johnny pointed out. "It's just in this case the timing was bad."

"You and Michael will get her through this. Let her grieve, and if she's having trouble get her to a therapist." Cody suggested to his boss. "That last thing might not be a bad idea anyway. Watching someone die violently can really mess with you."

"It's not a bad suggestion." Renaldo said in agreement with Cody.

Jason just nodded. Whatever she needed, Elizabeth would get. "That's enough for now. Francis, head home, just in case we are wrong." They had to consider that as well. "No one in the offices for the next couple of days while we monitor the situation. That includes Diane." He told his friend.

"I'll pass that along." Francis knew his wife would have no problem working from home. That would be helped by the fact that she didn't have any court appearances scheduled. "Do you want me to call Palermo?" No one in the room had any doubt that word of the car bomb would reach the Don.

"I'll do it, now while Elizabeth is sleeping." Jason said getting to his feet and leaving the room.

"I'll stick around until Liz wakes up." Johnny said following his boss.

"Come on Cody, I'll follow you home. Kyle follow Francis." Renaldo told his friend. With that the meeting was over.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	65. Chapter 65

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 65

Jason rolled over and saw that the other side of the bed was empty. For the first time in a long time he had trouble falling asleep. The main reason was that he was worried about Elizabeth. She had slept for a while and when she woke up he called Nadine and asked her to bring Michael up. They had dinner just him, Elizabeth, and their son. She didn't eat much which wasn't too surprising and he tried not to hover.

A couple hours after the meal ended he could see she was struggling so he suggested another sedative. Gia had recommended it, which Jason told his wife. Once Michael was down for the night, Jason came into the bedroom and set up a work station in the sitting area so that he would be near if Elizabeth needed him. He had been up fairly late trying to get his brain to slow down, and as a result he crashed when he got into bed.

Which would be why he didn't hear Elizabeth get up.

There weren't any sounds coming from the monitor but he checked the nursery anyway. Michael was sleeping soundly, and his mom was nowhere in sight. So Jason headed downstairs. Not immediately seeing her on the couch had him frowning. The kitchen was empty ruling out that she was grabbing a snack. The terrace was also vacant, plus the door was locked from the inside. He checked his office just in case, before going back to the second level and looking in all the guest bedrooms. He was standing at the top of the steps when he realized where she was.

Jogging back down the stairs he opened the penthouse door. "Is my wife next door?" He asked Bobby, who was standing post.

"Yes. She went over about an hour ago." The guard reported.

"Thank you." Jason closed the door and walked over to the phone. He didn't want to just leave Michael alone, although the little boy would probably be fine. If Elizabeth didn't answer he might have to. He didn't want her back in the same the mindset she was in after AJ and Carly died. Letting work consume her wasn't healthy, something she admitted.

"Hi." Liz could see that Jason was calling.

"Come home." It was a request. "Its three in the morning, it's not the time to be working." He wouldn't try to stop her from going over later in the morning if she wanted to, now she should be home.

Liz was just sitting in her studio, she didn't even have a piece of paper on her drafting table. The urge to work wasn't even present at the moment. It was just that this was where she always came when things were uncertain. However shortly after arriving she immediately started feeling the need to return home. The only reason she didn't was because she knew that she was going to end up waking her husband. If her walking into the room didn't do it, then she would end up shaking him. That was selfish, so she had stayed in her studio.

"Okay." Liz replied agreeing. "I'll be right over."

"Thank you. I'm in the living room." Jason let her know. When she was back home he would make her some hot chocolate to help her relax. Over the next few days he expected that her sleep schedule was going to be off, which meant his would be as well. He wasn't going to let her sit up alone early in the morning.

* * *

"That was delicious, thank you." Liz leaned back into Jason and let his closeness relax her. He had bundled her into a blanket and then prepared her a warm drink. That he was taking such good care of her wasn't surprising. Even though he was not a Brenda fan, he put that aside.

"Can I do anything else for you?" Jason asked wrapping her up in his arms.

"No." Liz snuggled closer. "Thank you for all the information you already got for me." It had been shocking to hear that the WSB thought Alek's father was behind the car bomb. Brenda didn't say that he had threatened her or her ex-husband.

"Would you like to have a memorial service for Brenda?" Jason would make arrangements with the church.

"No." Liz looked up at him with sad eyes. "I'm the only one here who liked her. Everyone would come to support me, I know that, but it seems wrong to ask them to. I would like to plant a tree for her. I'd like somewhere I can go and remember her."

"I'll call Diane later in the morning." Jason promised Elizabeth. "By the other trees we planted?"

"No." Liz said and laughed a little. "Brenda would want an area with better lighting."

Jason kissed the top of his wife's head and gave her a small smile. "Where would that be?"

"If there is a space on the south side of the park that will work." Liz took a deep breath and tried to relax. "Steven will probably be up today." With this all over the news he would come to check on her.

"We can tell him you are resting." Jason had no problem with that.

"No." Liz just shook her head. "I have to stop avoiding him eventually."

"It doesn't have to be today or tomorrow." Jason let her know. The urge to protect her from further hurt was making itself known. "You just lost Brenda, you can deal with your lying brother in a few days."

She leaned up and kissed him under his jaw. "Thank you." He always kept her safe. "I want to talk with Steven. I also want to talk with Marco. I think I scared him some." She was aware of what was going on around her during the car ride home, but she just couldn't respond. "So I need to check in."

"I'll call him later." Jason would call Marco and ask him to hang out while Steven was in the penthouse. Hell Jason would probably just call all the guys and have everyone come over. They could watch the siblings interact with each other. "Ready to go to bed?"

"Yeah." She was exhausted, maybe now her brain would let her rest for a bit. "Can Michael spend the day downstairs with Nadine? I don't want him up here when Steven is."

"That's a good idea." Jason got up and gathered her into his arms. "Let's go rest until it's time for Michael to get up."

Liz just nodded as he took them upstairs.

* * *

"Spencer." The officer in charge of the cells stopped in front of the one housing their latest guest. The guys at the station had a bet going about how long it would be before Morgan took their prisoner out. Folks didn't piss off the mob boss and live to tell the tale. The commissioner realizing that put him in his own cell, but that didn't mean he was safe. "Your bail has been posted."

Without saying a word Lucky sat up and put his feet on the floor. This was surprising news since he never actually talked to his dad. On the voicemail message he hadn't said he'd been arrested. Luke was the only one who would be putting up money for him to get out. Actually that wasn't true, Morgan would put up money. Mainly so he could make Lucky disappear. As fast as that thought went through his mind, he pushed it aside. A lot of people were watching right now, so making a move was stupid. Based on what happened in court Jason Morgan was far from stupid.

"Come with me and we'll get your personal belongings. Don't leave the area because you've got a court date coming up." The officer said taking him upstairs. If you asked around the station most people would say that Spencer was going to run as far as he could before the day was out. They weren't going to be putting a tail on him, so if he did it wouldn't be apparent until he didn't show up for court. If the kid was smart he would stay in Port Charles, and be highly visible. It was the only shot he had at staying alive.

Lucky was turned over to another officer who returned the suit that he was wearing when he got arrested, his wallet, his cellphone, and his shoes. He changed and returned the uniform he had been given. "I don't suppose my luggage is here?"

"No." The officer said shaking his head. "The hotel might be holding it for you." Not that he cared. "Your ride is waiting for you on the bench." He pointed to the door that lead out to the public area of the station. It was opposite the door Lucky had used to enter the office, the one that lead to the cells.

"Thanks." Lucky signed the paper stating his personal effects had been returned. Stepping into the hall he saw only one person. "You here for me?"

"Yeah." Reggie said getting to his feet. "The car is outside."

They didn't talk again until they were standing next to the vehicle. Lucky wasn't getting in without some answers. "Who sent you to post bail?"

"Your father." Reggie hit the remote to open the car.

"He took his time." Lucky wasn't going to mention what he said in the voicemail.

"I called right after court let out. When he called me back Luke said he hasn't been checking his messages regularly." Reggie met Lucky's gaze. "He didn't think that he would be needed. Luke figured this was something you could handle on your own." He watched his target blush some.

"How long have you been here?" Lucky wanted to know getting into the car. He was embarrassed that another operation had been screwed up.

"I arrived the day before you did." Reggie said starting the car.

"They why are you just bailing me out?" Lucky demanded annoyed.

"Because I just got the money last night. By the time it came in the office was closed." Reggie put the vehicle in gear and pulled out of the space. "You can take the timing up with your dad. I'm just a cog in the wheel." He set up on a winding drive around the city. To Lucky it would look like he was checking for a tail.

Lucky didn't say anything but inside he was seething. Luke had let him sit in a cell as punishment. Obviously Reggie was here to send back reports. It wasn't Lucky's fault the PI was on Morgan's payroll. They were screwed before he left New Mexico. If anything this was his dad's fault for leaping before looking. "What's the plan? Canada?"

Reggie just shook his head as they continued their drive. "Your dad wants to see you."

"Is he still in La Paz?" Lucky wanted to know.

Reggie was very good at reading people, and he could spot a liar. Which made his response the correct one. "Still indicates he was there in the first place, which we both know wasn't the case."

Lucky just smirked. "Can't be too careful."

"Nope." Reggie said driving and checking the rear view mirror. "I'm taking you to New York City."

"The harbor." Lucky nodded. "Smart, with all the ships leaving I can hope a freighter and be out of the city tomorrow."

"Tonight." Reggie corrected. "It's only a four hour drive, and it's early still."

"Am I making a transfer, or will I stay on the same ship all the way to Cozumel?" Lucky asked relaxing. While he was pissed at his dad it was clear he wasn't being abandoned. Hopefully Luke knew someone who could get Lucky's assets despite the fact that they had been frozen. Maybe even his friend in the Russian mob.

Reggie just grinned, Lucky wasn't lying this time. As soon as he could he would get the info to O'Brien. "No transfer. Once you leave New York it's a direct trip to your final destination." He let his passenger know.

"Once you are sure we aren't being tailed we'll set out?" Lucky was guessing.

"That's the plan. You need coffee?" Reggie wanted to know.

"I'm fine. The food inside was surprisingly good. I guess it's because they don't see much traffic so they can spend more money." Lucky told his driver.

"We'll do another big loop and if it's all clear we'll head down to New York City." Reggie said all business. "Give a holler if you need to stop, otherwise it's gonna be a straight shot."

"Sounds like a plan." Lucky said turning on the radio to find some tunes. By the time the sun went down this would all be over.

* * *

Steven waited until it was almost ten in the morning before heading upstairs to see his sister. He simply couldn't get himself to leave the apartment she gave him. The first time he tried he ended up running to the bathroom and throwing up the light breakfast he'd eaten. The urge to take a drink was really pushing down on him. To just find the nearest bottle and crawl inside. But that would see Liz getting harmed for sure. Brenda was dead and that was enough to have Steven stop dragging his feet.

Upstairs he announced himself to the guard who briefly stepped inside the penthouse before holding the door open. Steven wasn't sure what he was expecting but it wasn't to come face to face with a room full of guys. Liz said that she had a lot of friends and this was probably just a portion of them. "I came to check on my sister."

"I was expecting you earlier." Jason said speaking to his brother in-law for the first time.

"I haven't turned the television or radio on since I got here. I've mostly been sleeping. I don't have anything that connects to the internet either." Steven said spinning his tale. "I didn't know what happened until I went for a walk and saw the newspaper headlines."

Jason just watched the other man. He had been telling the truth right up until he got to the part where he took a walk. Steven was a skilled liar; that was something AJ said came with addiction, however Elizabeth's brother wasn't a great liar. Mobsters were great liars which made it easier to spot those who needed practice.

"Is she here?" Steven asked when Jason, he knew him from the photos he saw in Mexico, didn't say anything.

Instead of answering Jason pulled out his phone. "Hey, Steven is here to see you." Elizabeth was next door. She thought working some would calm her nerves enough to talk with her brother because she knew he would be up at some point.

"I'll be right over." Liz said putting her pencils away. The time in the studio had not calmed her like she had hoped. Instead she found herself getting angry. Really angry. Brenda's death wasn't on her brother, but Liz not being in a place where she would really listen was. His lie was why it wasn't okay for Brenda to be here, and when she just showed up Liz had pushed harder than necessary for her to leave. Brenda should have called first, Liz could admit that. So there was enough blame for everyone to take a share.

"I heard the phone, because I was hovering." Georgie said without the least bit of shame.

That made Liz smile. She had a lot of people who loved her. "Do me a favor. Please go down to your apartment. I have to go talk to Steven, and all the guys are next door. I don't know what's going to happen, so I'd rather you be downstairs."

"Okay. I'll go visit with Nadine." Georgie would of course go to her place if the nanny didn't want company.

"Thank you for being such a good friend to her." Liz appreciated that Georgie was making their newest family member feel welcome.

"She's nice." Georgie didn't see that she was doing anything special. "I know she's from the states but recently her whole life was in England so this is a big adjustment. Plus you've been dealing with some shit so you can't be your normal wonderful hostess self." Georgie said with a grin. "Renaldo has done more to make her feel at home then I have."

"They did go down hard and fast." Liz said as they headed to the door.

"I know the feeling." Georgie had looked at Milo and thought he was hot. After their first conversation she had been done. Luckily he was also in the same space. "Those bad boys who are good men are deadly." She finished up laughing. She was also looking at Liz. Her boss had been pale this morning, and now she had some color. She was also angry, if you didn't know her well you wouldn't pick up on it though. Liz was a master at keeping her emotions close to home. Just like Jason.

"That they are." Liz was using this conversation to level out some.

"Call me if I can come back up." Georgie said pushing the button for the elevator.

Liz just nodded and watched her friend leave the penthouse level. "Who is inside besides Jason?" She turned and asked Gary, who was on the door.

"Johnny, Francis, Cody, Renaldo, Marco, and your brother." Gary remembered to add on in case she didn't know. "He just came up a few minutes ago."

"I know." Liz said taking a deep breath. "Don't." She said when he reached for the doorknob. "I need a minute."

"I wanted to say that I'm sorry for your loss." Gary had heard some of the other guys say that Liz was close to the model that died yesterday.

"Thank you Gary." Liz appreciated that he would do so. "You can open the door now." She let him know.

With a nod he did just that and then closed it behind her.

"Hey." Steven was glad she was here, he had been standing in a pretty awkward silence while waiting. "I came to check on you. I just saw the news about Brenda. Did you need anything? Can I do anything for you?" He had turned to address his sister and could feel the guys behind him staring at his back.

"Actually I could use something from you Steven." Liz said looking up at her big brother. "You could tell me why you really came to Port Charles, because I know it wasn't to visit me."

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	66. Chapter 66

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 66

The guys didn't move from the various spots they were sitting in around the living room. When she walked into the penthouse they could all see that she was pissed. It also became apparent that Steven was unaware of his sister's mood. Considering they hadn't spent time together recently that wasn't too surprising. However what came out of her mouth very much was.

Jason looked at his guys and shook his head no, indicating that no one should say anything. While this wasn't how he saw them getting the answer to that particular question, he had no doubt that the information they were seeking was about to be shared with everyone in the room. He turned his attention to his wife and waited to hear what Steven had to say.

* * *

"Of course I came to see you." Steven was rattled and trying not to show it.

"No you didn't." Elizabeth was still angry, but she was tired too. "I just happen to be here, but you deciding to come to New York isn't about me. You're in trouble. I could tell by the time we left the airport that something was wrong. I've been waiting for you to come clean, waiting for you to be honest with me. I've dealt with too many family members with hidden agendas lately. I'm not dealing with any more. Why are you here?" She asked him again.

"Elizabeth." Steven started only to get interrupted.

"Don't." She said pointing a shaking finger at him. "You're about to lie to me again."

"I'm not." Steven said starting to sweat.

"You only call me Elizabeth when you are lying to me." She revealed one of his tells to him. "I'm Libby every other time, but when you lie to me I'm always Elizabeth." The two siblings just stood there staring at one another in charged silence. "You can tell me or you can tell Jason. I'm offering you some help Steven, I suggest you take it." Yes it was a threat, but she didn't see any other way of making her brother talk.

"I did come here because of you." Steven knew he was cornered, he just hoped his sister's faith in her new husband was justified. "But not for you."

"What does that mean?" Liz asked confused.

"I'm in trouble. I have to perform a job or the people I'm in trouble with are going to hurt you." Steven started his confession. "Maybe even kill you."

"Drugs?" Liz asked as her stomach dropped.

"Money. I owe a lot of money." Steven admitted feeling about an inch tall. She had already invested so much time and money into his rehabilitation and he was letting her down.

"How much?" Elizabeth wanted to know. Him owing money wasn't that bad, she could pay the debt. However if he was sent here to perform a task the situation could get sticky. Whoever was owed the money might still want him to do the job. As for her safety they would address that shortly.

"Over two hundred fifty thousand dollars." He said in a shaking voice.

"Steven." Liz said in a stunned voice. "How?"

"I've been gambling. I got in over my head in a poker game. I couldn't pay the money off and to keep from getting killed I ran." Steven confessed more of the issue.

"To Mexico?" Liz was prodding him trying to get the whole story.

"You know I was there?" Steven asked surprised.

"Yeah, we do." Liz looked at her brother. "You got in trouble here in the states? In Kentucky?"

Steven just nodded. "I underestimated the reach of the man I owe money too. He had me picked up and I was told that if I didn't perform a job they were going to kidnap you. You would either get sold to pay off my debt or be killed."

"Jason won't let either of those things happen." She told her brother.

"Libby, the man I owe money too he has a lot of power. He also has a lot of powerful people backing him up." Steven said trying to make her see how bad the situation was.

"Trust me Steven. Jason will keep me safe. He might even be able to fix the mess you've found yourself in. If you had been honest, if you had just called to say you needed help we wouldn't be here right now." Liz was simply exasperated. This was almost the same talk they had in New Orleans.

"The man I owe money to he killed Brenda because I was taking too long to start the job." Steven saw the color drain from his sister's face. "Right after her car blew up he sent me a recording. They've been watching me since I arrived and Jason didn't know."

"Yes, I did." Jason said walking past his brother in-law to stand with Elizabeth. He was worried she was going to pass out. "You arrived in Port Charles with a tail. The guy is sitting up the street now. What we don't know is if he's working alone or not. We need the phone they gave you." Jason held out his hand. When Steven gave him the device Jason tossed it to Johnny. They would get it to Stan who would run some traces based on the call logs. "Who do you owe money too?"

"A man named Andre Karpov. He's in the Russian mob." Steven didn't have any reason left to hide. He also knew that this was about to get much worse. They were going to ask him what the job was, and Liz might walk away forever.

"The Bratva." Francis said shaking his head. "They are ruthless when it comes to debt collection." This also meant they would need to call Maximus. If Jason went after Karpov directly it could spark a war.

"I don't see the Bratva getting permission to go into Mexico and pull a snatch though." Johnny looked at Jason. "They and the Cartels do not get along." The two organizations had a very bloody history. The Bratva tried to establish a hold in the country and the Cartels wiped out everyone who tried. "So if he did that, it was under the radar."

"That's a good point." Cody looked at his boss.

"The guy I was talking to was American." Steven told them. It was clear that the men in the room had some knowledge of both the Russian mob and the Mexican drug Cartels. It had him looking at his brother in-law closer.

"Is this him?" Johnny asked pulling up a picture of Luke on his phone. This might be the piece they were missing. The Russian mob would give Spencer the muscle he needed for a plan like this to work.

"Yeah." Steven was really confused now. "Who is he?"

"You don't need to know that." Johnny said putting his phone away.

"Can you fix this?" Elizabeth asked Jason. She saw the picture on Johnny's phone and her heart sank. Once again a member of the Spencer family was trying to hurt her family. Carly would have been horrified to know she was related to that man.

"The debt yes, but we still don't know what job Steven was sent here to do." Jason said letting his blue eyes pin the other man to the spot he was standing in. "That could be more complicated. It might be easier to help Steven do the job." Although Jason could ask Maximus to talk to the head of the Bratva. "What do they want?"

Steven simply froze up.

Elizabeth moved out of Jason's arms, she was still shocked at what her brother had said about Brenda. She also realized that this Karpov person could have used the car bomb to his advantage by claiming credit for someone else's work. It was clear they knew about her, so they might know that she and Brenda had been friends. So for now Liz was going to put that statement aside. "You need to tell Jason what you came to do. He's not going to let me get hurt." She was certain about that.

"Karpov wants Michael." Steven confessed in a harsh whisper. "I'm supposed to turn him over and Jason will have to pay a ransom to get him back. Once that's done my debt would be paid off."

"Were you going to give him what he wanted?" Elizabeth asked as her stomach rolled again. "Were you going to kidnap my son?"

"Yes, I was." Steven confessed and watched as his sister's eyes went flat.

The bottom just dropped out of her world. Her brother had come here to steal her son. He was a threat that she never would have expected. Even after talking with Jason she didn't want to believe that her brother could be a danger to their son, but he was. From the moment she left him in his apartment the first night she knew something was off, but this was almost too devastating to believe. Before she could stop herself she swung out and slapped him. Hard enough to bring color to his face and make her hand tingle.

Steven didn't move because he deserved that. If she wanted to hit him again she was well within her rights.

Liz was gearing up to hit him again when a pair of arms came around her. She knew that Jason would be as angry as she was, but for her under the anger was a growing sense of horror. Steven had no idea what he had just done. He had just signed his own death warrant. No threat to Michael would be allowed to live, and her brother was now at the top of the list. Even her asking Jason for mercy wouldn't save Steven. "Let me go." She said to Jason.

He did and turned her to face him. "I need you to trust me to handle this." Of all the things that Steven might say this was the last thing Jason expected, and the worst thing he could confess. He could see that same knowledge reflected in Elizabeth's eyes. What truly sucked was that this needed his immediate attention. Calls needed to happen, and Jason had to be the one to make them. That meant comforting his wife had to wait for the moment.

That numb feeling from yesterday was creeping back up on her. This situation was what the term living hell was invented for. "I do trust you." She found her voice and was able to tell him that. This sucked all the way around. There was no good ending for this situation, but she hadn't lied. She did trust Jason with everything in her.

"I need you to leave." Jason could feel her trembling under his hands.

Liz just nodded.

"I love you Elizabeth." Jason needed to tell her that.

"I love you too." She said as her heart shattered. "I need to go."

"Libby." Steven said not sure what he could possible say to make this hurt less. All he had was a lame apology.

She didn't even turn around or acknowledge that he had spoken. She just walked out the door and over to the elevator hitting the button. Right now she couldn't be here. She just couldn't.

* * *

Steven went to speak and Jason stopped him. "Do not say a single word. You have no idea how badly you have fucked up. You came here to kidnap my son, and you've broken your sister's heart. Forget about me but she has done nothing but support you and stand by you. She's been working on getting your parents to forgive you, and this is how you repay her." Jason wanted nothing more than to cave the other man's face in.

"I didn't have a choice." Steven said not heeding the warning he was given.

"Shut up." Cody said being blunt. "Now is not the time to plead your case."

"Sit down." Jason pointed to the armchair. "Tie him down." For now he had to stay in the penthouse. When it was dark out they could transport him to the warehouse, by then Jason might have a clue what to do with him. "I need to call Palermo."

"I'll call Shawn." Francis would do that so Jason didn't have to. "Where were you when you got snatched?" He asked Steven. Francis did not envy Jason's current position. Normally a threat to his son would just be taken out, but despite her hurt and anger at the moment, Liz might not be understanding of that decision in the long run.

"I was in Cozumel." Steven said as he was strapped to the chair. He wasn't going to run despite the fact that he now realized he was in just as much danger here as with Karpov. Mainly because he had nowhere to go.

"I'll tell Shawn and Cooper to head over." Francis told his boss. The team wouldn't do anything right away. They would lay low and watch their target. Before Spencer could be picked up they needed to deal with Karpov and the Bratva. "Stay here." Francis told Marco.

"Not a problem." The guard took a seat.

Everyone else followed Jason down the short hall off the living room. He would make the call from his office. Francis would make his call from the corridor and then join the rest of the group.

Behind his desk Jason took a minute to calm down before dialing the international number. "This is Jason Morgan, I have an emergency is Maximus available?"

"One moment." The assistant said before putting him on hold. It took about five minutes before she was back. "I'm transferring you now."

"Grazie." Jason replied silently going over what he wanted to say.

"Jason, what is the problem? Buffalo?" Maximus thought that was settled when the WSB showed up. He couldn't think of any other emergency in the area.

"Possibly." Jason said being unintentionally vague. "I have become aware of a plot to kidnap my son. The man sent here to do so says he came on the orders of a man named Andre Karpov. During the course of that conversation it was implied that Karpov was behind the car bomb, not Theo Hoffmann."

"Who was sent to do the job?" The Don wanted to know.

"My brother in-law. He owes Karpov a considerable sum of money. He couldn't pay so he ran, but he was picked up anyway. By an American who we believe is working with Karpov. When my brother in-law arrived he had a tail, who we've been watching." Jason realized at that moment that they were right to think that there was more than one person in the area. They had eyes on the man up the street when Brenda's car blew up. Not moving on him had been smart.

Maximus just shook his head. Those closest to you generally hurt you the most. "Where did he arrive from?"

"Mexico." Jason told the Don.

"So what we have is an underworld international incident in the making." Maximus was already getting a headache thinking about the calls he was going to have to make. The Mexican cartels were easier to deal with, so he would call the head of the Bratva first because that would take longer.

"Yes." Jason hadn't looked at it that way.

"Have you done anything yet?" Maximus meant in terms of a response.

"No." Jason gave him a to the point answer.

"Good." Maximus wasn't surprised by the response. Jason was not impulsive. Even in this emotionally charged situation he would think before acting. It wasn't a skill he learned from Sonny. By calling Palermo first he was saying he was trying to avoid starting a war. At the same time Karpov seemed to be recklessly pushing them towards one. "I will make some calls, do not do anything until you hear from me. Your son is safe?"

"He is." Jason confirmed understanding that this was too close.

"I am sorry for the position your wife is now in. Both my sons say she is a wonderful person." Maximus would meet her eventually, if this situation didn't sink the union.

"Thank you." Jason was already working out how to handle this in a way that wouldn't cause Elizabeth more pain.

"It would be best, no matter what the outcome, if the WSB continues to believe Hoffmann killed the model." The Don told Jason. "They will never be able to prove it one way or the other. Let them chase their tails."

"Understood." Jason still needed answers though. "She was my wife's friend."

"Please pass along my condolences." Maximus looked at the clock. "I need to make my calls."

"Thank you Don Giambetti." Jason said as the call ended.

* * *

In his office Maximus hit the intercom. "Get me Dmitri Konstantin on the phone." Hopefully this mess could be cleared up quickly. Maximus was taking his wife out to dinner later in the evening.

* * *

"Maximus is making some calls." Jason told his crew. "He wants us to remain silent about Brenda."

"It's the smart move." Johnny said in agreement. "It also puts Maximus in a position of power. He can tell the Bratva we are covering up their crime."

"Shawn and Cooper will be in Cozumel in about ninety minutes." Francis reported, he had come in about half way through Jason's call. "They will contact me if they are able to put eyes on Luke."

Jason just nodded. Now they played the waiting game. He had no idea how long it would take for Maximus to call him back, but when the phone rang Jason was expected to answer. So leaving the penthouse wasn't going to happen.

"What are you going to do with Steven?" Cody addressed their other problem. His boss's first instinct would be to protect Liz, but that might not be possible in this situation.

Jason closed his eyes and gave it some thought. "I have no idea." He said rubbing the side of his face in frustration. "Marco please go next door and check on Elizabeth."

"Sure thing." The guard said getting to his feet.

"Do you want me to go sit with Steven?" Renaldo asked Jason.

"No." The blonde mob boss shook his head. "He is caught between me and Karpov. At the moment I am the lesser of two evils, so Steven won't run. I only had him tied down because I want him to be uncomfortable." It was petty but Jason want to cause his brother in-law some measure of physical pain for what he was putting his sister through. He ran a hand over his face again before reaching for the phone on his desk. "Stan, I need a phone number."

The guys looked between themselves when they heard who Jason wanted to call. It wasn't a move any of them expected. Johnny for his part totally approved though. It also told the guys what it was their boss wanted to do. Now they just needed to come up with something in case that didn't work.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	67. Chapter 67

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 67

The elevator opened and Liz stepped out into the lobby. She needed some space. Being anywhere but here sounded perfect right about now. Decisions were going to be made, about Steven, and she needed to be gone while that was going on. It might be cowardly but she was totally about to run away from home.

"Mrs. Morgan." Paulie stepped out of the second elevator to find his boss's wife just standing there. "How are you?" Her movements inside the building weren't monitored, so it wasn't odd that she was down here alone.

"Are you busy?" Liz asked the guard. He was a senior guard and someone that Jason trusted.

"No. I was about to head over to the office and see what Kyle has me scheduled to do." Paulie answered her question.

"Can you come with me?" Liz knew that leaving the building without a guard shouldn't happen. However if he said no she wasn't sure that would stop her from doing it.

"Is Marco not around?" Paulie asked surprised by the request. Messing with the security detail was not tolerated.

"Never mind." Liz didn't want to get anyone in trouble. Now would be the time to turn around and go back upstairs, but she didn't. Instead she headed to the garage elevator. In her pocket she had her keys which included a key to both Jason's and Marco's company cars. Inside the armored vehicle she should be fine.

Paulie didn't even hesitate to follow her, because it was clear she was going to the garage which meant she might be leaving the building. "Where are we going?" He would send a message to Jason as soon as possible.

"I'm driving." Liz said as the elevator doors closed.

* * *

Marco walked into the office. "Liz isn't next door. Nor is she downstairs with the other ladies. I called because Gary said she got on the elevator."

"She wouldn't leave the building alone." Johnny said looking around. "She could be any number of places in the Towers. Has anyone checked the rooftop deck?" He wanted to know.

"I'm going to bet she isn't up there because Gary would have mentioned that. I'm also guessing that right now our rules don't mean squat. She's angry and hurt. Being as far away from her brother as she can get is probably the goal. I think she left." Francis said getting out his phone and sending out an alert. Hopefully someone was with Liz. If so they would report in.

Jason called down to the security office. "Where did my wife get off of the elevator?" This would give them a starting place, unless Francis was correct. Honestly Jason wouldn't be surprised if she left the building, his reaction would be the same. He listened to the report before hanging up. "She left the building with Paulie about five minutes ago. He got off the other elevator and they met up in the lobby. They are in my SUV."

"Does she even have his number?" Cody wanted to know. They trusted Paulie, so that wasn't the issue. The guard just wasn't someone Liz spent a lot of time with so for her to leave with him was surprising.

"As far as I know she doesn't have his number." Jason told his friends.

"Paulie is very good at his job, he wouldn't just ignore protocol. Nor would he ignore the schedule. He's supposed to be on patrol shortly, and then at the warehouse." Renaldo told the guys in the office. Like the cops they drove around making sure the territory was quiet. "He knows who Liz's guard is. If he left with her without calling Marco there is a reason."

"We can ping the GPS in the car." Johnny could call Stan and their tech guy would have an answer in minutes.

"Call Paulie." Jason looked at Renaldo. "According to the security footage Elizabeth is driving."

The enforcer dialed his co-worker.

* * *

Paulie's phone rang. "It's Renaldo." The guard was guessing that this was about him leaving the Towers with Liz. The cameras in the building would show they were together. What he still didn't know was why his boss's wife was out on her own.

"Do you have to answer that?" Liz wanted to know.

"If I don't want to die, then yeah I do." Paulie was only exaggerating a little.

"Don't tell anyone but Jason where we are." Liz instructed the guard. She knew that both their phones, as well as the car could be tracked. However Jason wouldn't go that route just yet. He would respect her unspoken request for space. The other guys might not be so patient. "I won't let you get in trouble."

Paulie hit the phone icon. "Donahue."

"Hey, where are you?" Renaldo had his phone on speaker.

"Mrs. Morgan doesn't want me to say." Paulie told his boss.

"Are you in the city?" Johnny wanted to know.

"Yup." Paulie answered wondering who else was listening. This drive was hard on his nerves. Not having a destination was not the norm when you went out with a charge. As Liz made a turn he relaxed because he knew where they were heading. There were a few things out this way, but only one would be of interest to the woman driving. "That might change though because I'm on the right side of the car." It was an odd statement but he had deliberately said it.

"Thanks Paulie." Jason said making his presence known. The guard had recognized something was off and thought on his feet. Jason would make sure he was recognized for that. "Check in when you can."

"Will do." Paulie said as the call ended. Knowing that he wasn't in trouble relaxed him further. "How long will we be here?"

"No clue." Liz hadn't really thought this through. "If you need to leave it should be fine."

"I'm good." Paulie said getting out of the car so he could he open her door.

* * *

"They are on the east side of Port Charles." Francis had picked up Paulie's message. Him saying he was on the right corresponded to the compass on a map.

"Elizabeth is going to the mansion to see our grandmother." Jason would give his wife the space she needed. Honestly knowing that she was being taken care of by Lila made him feel better. They still needed to talk about what was going to take place, and they would, right now he didn't have anything to tell her. That also meant he couldn't give her the comfort she needed, but Lila would be able to. "We will leave her be. When Paulie checks in tell him to call for relief if Elizabeth is still there when his shift ends."

"He'll probably call me, so I'll pass that along." Renaldo volunteered. He would also tell Paulie good job.

"We are now in a period of waiting." Francis said feeling frustrated. This mess was close to being done, so to be in holding was irritating. Their crew in Mexico was in transit. The same with Reggie and Lucky. They were waiting to hear back from Maximus, and Jason was waiting for another call. "Should we go talk with Steven?"

"No. I want him to sit and wait. I want him to have time to think about what he did to his sister, and to worry about what I'm going to do to him. He is clearly afraid of Karpov, now I want him to be afraid of me." Jason explained.

"I'm having a hard time trying to figure out why Karpov is coming for you. He can't win, he has to know that. Even if Steven had managed to pull this off you would still end up wiping Karpov off the planet once you got Michael back." Cody said thinking out loud. "This feels incomplete."

"That's because it is. We still are still missing some pieces to complete this picture." Francis said thinking at the same time he was speaking. He paused before talking again. "Let's extrapolate from what we have already. I'm willing to bet Karpov was thinking his name wouldn't ever be mentioned. He's got Luke and Steven doing the leg work. Which means they are the ones he was hoping would take the fall for this. Luke is in this for a payout, we know money is the endgame for him. I have to admit with his skills he might have been hard to track down if he had a head start." You always respected an enemy or you were screwed before you started. "Plus with Luke's experience in the mob he knows what happens to a rat."

"Luke for his part was counting on Steven's fear to keep him on track and quiet. That same fear was why he might have actually tried to pull this off." Johnny took over the huddle they were in. "It is clear that Steven really believes that the Russians are capable of hurting Liz. Someone higher up the food chain would have the power to attempt to do so. A loan shark isn't going to come for the wife of the most powerful mobster in the country, and that is what it sounds like Karpov is. A loan shark." Family heads didn't give out loans, they sent you to whoever in the territory handled money matters.

"The average person probably thinks the Russian mob is worse than we are." Francis took over again. "They are the newest organization and they had a very bloody entry into the country. When they came to the attention of the authorities it made a splash in the news." He said backing up his theory.

"Clearly we need to be louder." Renaldo said making everyone chuckle.

"We've been around long enough to become invisible, which is a good thing." Johnny added to the conversation. The Bratva now had a lower profile as well. Mainly that was because they stopped trying to take over territories that were already filled. They found space for their families and now the two organizations had a fragile balance. One that could be destroyed if Karpov really was involved in this.

Jason was sitting behind his desk and listening to his guys. He too thought that they were still missing pieces. Leaning back in his chair he rocked slightly before speaking. "What if Karpov isn't involved in this at all?" Jason spoke up getting everyone's attention. "What if Luke is hiding behind the reputation of the Russian mob?"

"Karpov is the only one who has been mentioned by name. Steven doesn't know anything about Luke other than what he looks like and that he is American." Francis said working with his boss's theory, which was actually a really good one.

Jason leaned forward and looked at his friends. "We know for a fact Luke is in this up to his eyeballs. What if Luke knows Karpov, and knows about the debt that Steven has incurred? With Luke already sending his son here, this was the perfect opportunity to try something else as well. I was thinking that Lucky was just too obvious for someone with Luke's skills." Jason laid out his thoughts. "What if I'm supposed to be so involved in the custody issue that Steven was meant to slip my notice? Slip all our notice."

"If we continue with that line of thinking, then Luke is using Karpov's name to scare the shit out of Steven." Renaldo said putting more pieces together. "That makes more sense." It made a more complete picture.

"The guys following Steven are working for Luke." Johnny put another piece on the table.

"I'm guessing they are here not so much to keep Steven from going off the rails, but to take Michael once the snatch is made. They probably have instructions to take Steven out." Francis crossed his arms over his chest. "Even if he cracked, which he did, if you are going after Karpov we might try to move Liz and Michael. A war would see them going to the island. Luke would know that."

"Hitting the transport is risky, but we've seen it done successfully." Renaldo looked at his friends. Diplomats got taken out that way all the time.

"I think Luke was mainly counting on Steven. Jobs like this are easier with an inside man, despite the circumstances he loves his sister. He clearly would do anything to keep Liz safe." Cody spoke up. Not countering his friend, but offering another opinion. "So now we have to ask why Karpov would walk away from a debt this large. No way Luke has more muscle than him and forced the issue."

"He walked away because I married Steven's sister." Jason said dropping what was probably the final link in the chain into place. "I'm too powerful for him to mess with. Which brings us back to Cody's original point. Karpov is not stupid enough to mess with my family." The blonde mob boss just shook his head. "I have to hand it to Luke, the man put together a hell of plan. A multipoint attack is always the best way to go, if you can."

"Sonny should have just taken him out and gotten it over with. A man who puts his hands on a woman doesn't need to keep breathing." Francis said disgusted.

"He's not walking away this time." Jason was going to make sure of that. "As far as I'm concerned he is just as responsible for my brother's and Carly's death as his son is. Greed set all this in motion. He wanted money he had no right to."

"One of the oldest motives in the book." Johnny said getting out his phone. "I'm going to call the Finley family who are down that way. They can tell me the power structure of the Bratva in Kentucky. If they know about Karpov they will share that as well. We might need to contact whoever has Karpov under their umbrella."

"You need to start preparing yourself for the fact that you may not get to deal with Karpov personally." Francis told his boss.

"They won't send him up here?" Marco wanted to know. He had been sitting back and listening to the guys talk. He was the youngest crew member in the room and had no experience with the Russians. Which meant he had nothing to add to the conversation. So he treated the conversation as a learning opportunity.

"No." Jason shook his head. "They will handle this in house. It's how they do things."

"No matter what he's going to have to answer the question of whether or not he knew what Luke was going to do." Cody told the room.

"Even if he didn't know about the kidnapping, Karpov will have to explain how Luke knew about the debt. That should also have been an in house matter. Especially since Steven is now connected to Jason." Johnny thought the Russian was going to be in a world of hurt. He would be lucky to come out of this alive.

"Whatever Maximus tells me I will have to respect." Jason wanted Luke Spencer more than Karpov anyway. Hopefully he would be able to get his hands on the older man, to end this once and for all.

* * *

They sat in the office talking the issue over for another two hours, with Marco or Renaldo going out to check on Steven every half an hour. Their prisoner was allowed to use the bathroom and to have water. Most of the time he was tied to the chair. Any questions that he asked, mainly about Elizabeth, were ignored.

The phone rang and Jason looked at the caller ID. "It's my father in-law." Once Elizabeth said something was up with her brother a background run was done on Jeff and Carolyn Webber. Based on what he had read Jason decided that it would be better to approach Jeff versus Carolyn. "Hello Dr. Webber."

"Jason." Jeff was surprised to get this call. He hadn't yet talked to the man his daughter had married. He was waiting for Libby to call and make introductions. With the custody battle taking place he figured she was busy. Since it had been settled that call should have been happening soon. "I'm glad you called. Elizabeth isn't answering her phone. The news about Brenda has broken here." He called home and told their housekeeper to make sure all the televisions in the house were off. This wasn't news Carolyn would handle well.

"She's hurting." Jason said being honest. The news story didn't have the model's name attached to it yesterday. That had to be the WSB's doing. "I'm taking a good care of her."

"I imagine you are. She always says that you are there whenever she needs something." Jeff still wanted to talk to her.

"I'll ask Elizabeth to call you." Jason hoped to talk to her before that call took place. "Right now I need to talk to you about Steven."

"Carolyn mentioned that he was planning to visit his sister." Jeff's voice took on a definite chill. "Has he done something?"

"Yes. What he's done is not up for discussion at the moment. However what I plan to do in response to your son's actions needs to be discussed." Jason was not expecting his father in-law to like what was coming. Nor did he care.

Jeff was silent for a moment. "Which is?"

'I'm sending him to you. Its time you and your wife stop making your daughter her brother's keeper. Elizabeth has been shouldering all the responsibility where Steven is concerned for entirely too long. You are his father, Carolyn is his mother. It's time the two of you acted like it." Jason was not going to take no for an answer.

"Steven is the reason his sister is dead." Jeff hadn't changed his mind about that.

"I don't care about that." Jason knew it sounded cold. "What I do care about is that my wife is in pain from something her brother did. I have two avenues I could take in response to his actions. The one that will hurt Elizabeth the least, and that is what I care about, is you allowing your son to move to Germany. He doesn't have to live in your house, you don't have to talk to him once he arrives. I don't give a fig about what happens between the three of you. Your daughter needs to know that her brother is with family." Despite the hurt and the pain he knew that his wife was going to want that. "When he's ready he can move to another country all together, but for at least the first year you need to step up and take the burden of care off your youngest child." Any time an addict fell off the wagon they needed support for a successful recovery. This situation was no different.

"Any country except America?" Jeff was wondering just what the hell Steven did this time. He was also feeling guilty about Libby having to become a caretaker. She had ended up caught between the two sides, and yet somehow still loved them all.

"For the first year, yes." Jason was happy to hear that the older man got that. "He will know that before he gets on the plane."

"If we say no?" Jeff wanted to know just how far Jason was willing to go.

"Then you need to prepare yourself to lose your two remaining children. Elizabeth has forgiven you a lot, she won't forgive you turning your back on her brother now." If Jeff read between the lines he would get that by saying no he was basically signing a death warrant for his son. Without a caretaker the eldest Webber child would not be allowed to leave Port Charles still breathing.

"I guess I have no choice then." Jeff would rent an apartment for Steven, and meet his son at the airport where the rules for his stay would be laid out. The first of which would be no contact with his mother until otherwise stated. Jeff would also need to figure out how to explain this to his wife. "When will he be here?"

"You'll get a call when he leaves." Jason was guessing that he wasn't going to be having much of a relationship with his in-laws from here on out. That was fine. He would support Elizabeth going to visit, and Michael knowing his maternal grandparents.

"It might seem odd, but after this call I have no doubt you love my daughter." Jeff considered this proof. "You'll still be welcome in our home should you chose to visit."

"Just don't come anytime soon." Jason said with a smirk.

"That might be for the best. Ask Elizabeth to call me, please." Jeff was ready to end the call.

"I will." Jason hung up the phone and turned off the tape recorder. This would go in his safe. "Bobby has family in Germany right?"

"He does. His sister, her husband, and their kids are over there." Renaldo took the question. He was also very impressed with his boss. Killing Steven was actually the easiest way to end this. It was also what most bosses would do.

"He'll fly over with Steven. Tell Bobby to take some time, on me, to have a visit." Jason told his enforcer. He looked at his friends, both Francis and Johnny nodded their approval of what was going to take place. Steven dying would destroy Elizabeth, and Jason just couldn't do that to her. The other man would never be allowed around Michael again, but if she decided to at some point to forgive her brother then Jason would support that decision. What he wouldn't do was take that opportunity from her. "Now I just need to wait for Maximus. Hopefully he will call soon so that I can go to the mansion."

"I'll refill your coffee." Francis said holding out his cup. They needed to wrap this up. It was time for things to return to normal.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	68. Chapter 68

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 68

"Elizabeth, come in." Lila gave the young woman who was standing in the parlor doorway a small smile. One look was all that was needed to know something was very wrong. It could be the aftermath of losing her friend. Liz had mentioned Brenda on more than one occasion, but Lila didn't think so. That death wouldn't bring her granddaughter here.

"Sorry to just drop in." Liz never wanted to be rude. She also knew that Lila wouldn't turn her away.

"You are always welcome here. You also have good timing as I have the house to myself." Lila waited until the younger woman was seated before maneuvering her wheelchair closer. Elizabeth's dark blue eyes were filled with pain.

"Why has everyone abandoned you? And should I be worried that Edward is out?" Liz asked making a small joke.

Lila smiled and patted Elizabeth's hand. It was cold. "Alice can we have tea please? Would you like some scones?"

"No thank you, just the tea." Liz wasn't at all hungry.

Lila looked at her housekeeper and nodded. "Alan and Monica are at work." She started there.

"I need to call them and set up a visit with Michael." Liz would do it because it wouldn't occur to Jason. He would wait until his parents called. With the mess they made of things Alan and Monica were probably waiting for Jason to call. Liz didn't want a misunderstanding to take place. She needed less drama.

"Give it a week before you call." Lila advised. "They should not have access to their grandson again too soon. This family is very tiresome. If you give them an inch they will take a mile. Not a yard, but an entire mile. Alan and Monica need to earn everything they are given." Lila wouldn't force Liz to take the advice, but she was thinking it would be heeded none the less. "Edward is playing golf." This time for real, and not just as a cover. His days of visits with Michael had not yet arrived, if they ever came at all.

"How is Edward liking retirement?" Elizabeth wanted to know.

"He isn't. However he brought this on himself so I am not feeling very sympathetic." Lila pointed out. Her husband was still very much in the dog house. He was staying down the hall from her room and that wouldn't be changing any time soon. "I have suggested that he spend some time on another great passion of his. Model trains. He has quite the layout. Maybe if he learns to behave, and makes amends, he can share the trains with Michael."

"I didn't know that about Edward." Liz said surprised. He didn't strike her as the hobby type.

"We all have our vices." Lila said with a wink as the tea trolley was rolled in. "Elizabeth will you please pour?"

"Absolutely. Are you joining us Alice?" Liz wouldn't mind.

"No, but thank you." The housekeeper could tell that Mrs. Lila wanted privacy. Alice wasn't offended, she got the impression that Mrs. Liz was upset for some reason.

The two ladies sipped their tea and sat in silence for a moment. "Would you like to talk about it, or was the purpose of today's visit just to get some space?" Lila had no problem pushing a bit.

"Am I that transparent?" Liz asked with a sad smile.

"I wouldn't look into the professional poker circuit." Lila replied with a warm smile. "We don't have to talk. I want you to know that."

"Thank you." Liz put down her tea cup because her hand was shaking some. "How are you feeling?" She wanted to start there. If Lila was tired then they could just hang out.

"Fantastic. I have completely rebounded from my upset." Lila assured her granddaughter. "I had another checkup yesterday. I think Dr. Brewer has a crush on me which is why he wanted me to come back again." The doctors were being cautious which meant more visits than normal at the moment.

Liz laughed at the joke. "Can you blame him? I'm going to take your advice about Monica and Alan, so please look at your schedule and let me know when I can bring Michael over. I don't want you missing him because others behaved badly in the past." Liz requested, it went without saying that Lila was looking for a day that everyone else was out. "It's been a rough twenty-four hours." Elizabeth said getting back to the problem.

"I'm sorry for the loss of your friend." Lila reached out and covered Liz's hand.

"Thank you. Things between us were not very good recently. I was dealing with issues here and that didn't leave any room for her. I told Brenda that she couldn't come to Port Charles. I didn't want her talking to CPS while all the adoption stuff was going on. She wasn't a Jason fan, and Brenda would not have censored herself." Liz started going through her emotions. "I also knew that she was going to bring drama of her own, and I didn't have the energy."

"Don't feel guilty about that. While we try to be good friends, sometimes you simply have to put yourself first." Lila told her granddaughter. "Or in this case you had to put Edward first." The Quartermaine matriarch said pointedly.

Liz just sat in silence for a moment. "Brenda arrived in Buffalo with no warning. Just called me up to say she was here and demanded I come talk to her. She saw on the news that the adoption was final and decided I had given enough attention to my family. That meant it was her turn to have the spotlight. I must sound like a major bitch right now." Normally when someone died you only said good things about them.

"No, you sound honest." Lila told the younger woman. "There is no judgement here."

"Thank you." Liz ended with a soft sigh. "I was already angry when I got there, and we had a pretty hellacious argument. The worst one we've ever had. I walked out thinking our friendship was probably over. She wanted me to hold her hand, and I didn't feel she deserved that. I also wasn't in a space where I had it in me to take on her problem. I was still dealing with some very pressing issues."

"Did you tell her that?" Lila wanted to know.

"During the phone call. Listening to others was not a skill Brenda had mastered." Liz said with a shrug.

"A very polite way of saying she was pushy. She sounds a lot like Tracy." Lila responded drawing some parallels.

"I was watching her get into the rental. I told her she had to leave. I even bought her a plane ticket." Liz needed to mention that to Jason. They probably needed to make that go away. "Everything was fine and then it wasn't." Her voice trailed off as her eyes flooded with tears that spilled over. "She was just gone."

Lila rolled her chair over to get a box of tissues. She didn't say anything but let her granddaughter have a moment. Many people got unnerved at tears, and rushed to fix things. Lila for her part understood that sometimes you just needed to cry. She also got the impression that there was more coming.

"My brother came here to kidnap Michael." Liz just blurted it out. "I learned that not even twenty minutes ago. I was so excited to see him, so excited that he might be moving here but it was all a lie. I knew something was wrong, but I never expected that." A little of the anger she was feeling crept out and colored her words.

"Really?" Lila wasn't sure what to say about that. "Why?"

"He owes money to someone. The person who holds the debt is working with Luke Spencer." Liz shared with her grandmother. "Small world, huh?"

"At times the world is damn near suffocating it's so small." Lila said in agreement. Considering that her husband was responsible for Lucky Spencer coming to Port Charles, she was worried that Edward might have his fingers in this pie as well. When he returned home she was going to have to find out. Considering how their last conversation ended, Alice would probably be staying in the room.

"Is Jason aware of what your brother was planning?" Lila could imagine how this might spill over onto the new marriage. Although if asked she would say that her grandchildren would be fine. This was just a speed bump.

Liz just nodded. "When I left Steven was in the penthouse with Jason and a few of the other guys. I trust Jason, please don't doubt that."

"I don't." Lila promised with a smile.

"I actually left because I think that if I stayed I might have hurt my brother badly." Liz had been angry, but she was also scared at the depth of that anger. "I was gripped with this primal rage. It was unlike anything I've ever felt before."

"A mother protecting her child is one of the deadliest creatures known to man." Lila knew that for a fact. "You were experiencing that need to make sure Michael stayed safe. I'm sorry that your brother has hurt you so deeply. Do you think in time you might forgive him?"

"I don't know." Liz said blinking back more tears. "That makes me feel like such a horrible person. I can forgive him a lot, but he planned on kidnapping my son. I realize Steven got caught in a situation that spun out of his control, but all he had to do was say that he needed help. At any point during the time that he's been here he could have spoken up. He only admitted it because he got cornered. I have to live the rest of my life knowing my brother was going to take my son. No matter how Steven tries to justify his actions, I don't know if I can forget that."

"That doesn't make you a horrible person Elizabeth. Give yourself some time." Lila didn't blame her granddaughter for those feelings. Even if in time she found a way to forgive her brother, she wouldn't ever forget what he had confessed. Lila wasn't ever going to forget what Edward had done to Skye, but was working to move past that pain and anger. Lila also made it known she would support Skye if her granddaughter never did. "I know you said you trust Jason, but are you worried about what he will do?"

"I'm worried that he's worried about me being worried." Liz said giving Lila a smile. "I know how this is going to end. I knew that right after Steven said the words. At least I don't have to figure out what to tell my parents." Which was one of the saddest comments on this entire situation.

Lila stayed quiet. Maybe if their parents had moved past their anger, then Elizabeth and Steven would not be in this position now. "I think what you need is a rest, and then some family. I'll call the ladies and have everyone over." Lila was aware that they were in a lockdown situation, so yeah she was going to break a rule. They could all be confined to the mansion for the afternoon.

"Thank you." Liz was tired. "I'll tell Paulie I'm going upstairs." She would also find out if he sent a text to Jason. If not she would tell the guard to go ahead and do so, although she was betting her husband knew exactly where she was.

* * *

"Your grandmother has apparently set in motion what she is calling a jailbreak." Renaldo was trying not to laugh. His phone had been ringing off the hook for the past few minutes. Kyle was looking for instructions on how to handle the fact that the ladies were leaving their houses. "Hank said that Skye threatened to Tase him and lock him in the hall closet if he tried to stop her."

Johnny just burst out laughing. He couldn't help it. "Where is Lila holding her summit?" He asked when he finally calmed down.

"The mansion." Renaldo told everyone. "Since we know Liz is there that isn't surprising." Jason had gotten a confirmation text from Paulie a couple of hours ago. Along with a message that Liz was taking a nap.

"I'm guessing she's awake now." Francis was grinning wide. "Does Skye own a Taser?" He asked his friend.

"Yes, I got her the most powerful one available in a handheld model. She carries it with her everywhere she goes. I couldn't get her to carry a gun, so this was the compromise. Hank should be careful." Cody replied with a grin.

"We should look into that for all the ladies." Francis generally ended up sleeping on the couch whenever he brought up Diane carrying a gun. She probably wouldn't object to a Taser because it was non-deadly force.

"I'll send out the information on the make and model Skye owns." Cody had it at home on his personal computer.

"Have I missed anything?" Marco asked walking into the office. He had been out front with Steven. Their prisoner just finished lunch and then had been allowed a trip to the bathroom. If he was at the warehouse he would still be fed. They didn't starve the people they were holding, even those they planned on killing.

"Nope." Cody was wondering how Jason was managing to stay so calm. All the waiting had to be getting to him. "Steven is back in the chair?"

"Yeah." Marco said taking a seat. "He didn't ask me any questions while he was eating, which I found to be surprising."

"He probably doesn't want the answers." Johnny had seen that behavior before. "His imagination must be going into overdrive, getting confirmation that he is going to die isn't something he wants. Even if you told him that Jason has something else arranged, Steven probably wouldn't believe you."

"So the ladies?" Renaldo looked at Cody for instructions.

"What about the ladies?" Marco wanted to know. He was grinning by the end of the update. "See, I did miss something."

"It's fine." Cody told the enforcer. "None of them has been followed since Steven's arrival. Paulie said no one followed them over to the mansion. While I believe Spencer's crew is keeping themselves up to date on Liz's movements, I think they are really more concerned with what Steven is doing. If they killed Brenda to send a message he was probably getting cold feet."

"Knowing they are willing to commit murder more than likely changed that." Francis commented as he stretched out his legs. "I think he would have tried to go through with the plan."

"So do I." Johnny gave Francis his support.

"He wouldn't have succeeded." Renaldo knew that for a fact. "Everyone's security is too tight, and Nadine wasn't just going to let him walk off with Michael."

"Toss the apartment again." Jason said speaking for the first time in almost an hour. "Steven had to know that there were a lot of obstacles between him and my son. He may have drugs hidden, something we might not look too closely at because it isn't out of place."

"I noticed a couple of bottles of over the counter medication when Cody and I were tossing the unit. Since the containers were so small, and still sealed, I didn't think anything of them." Renaldo told the room.

"I saw them too, and just moved on." Cody said nodding. "Sedatives were not the type of drugs we were looking for, and all the bottles had American labels. I assumed he stocked up at one of the airports he stopped at to layover." Over the counter sleeping pills would get the job done if given in a high enough dose. "Come on we'll go down and grab them."

Before they could move Jason's phone, the one on his desk, rang. "It's Palermo." The blonde mob boss said looking at the caller id. "Hello."

"Jason. Are you alone, or do you have your top men with you?" Maximus wanted to know. If the situation was reversed he would have his LTs around him. They would be brainstorming trying to figure out what was coming. Since Jason was smart that was probably the case in Port Charles.

"Francis, Johnny, Cody, Renaldo, and Marco are with me." Jason told the older man.

"Put me on speaker." Maximus would not allow everyone this courtesy, but he trusted Jason. "Gentlemen." He said addressing the group. "I have information to share. Ready?"

"Yes." Jason was more impatient then he had been showing.

"You will not be allowed to deal with Karpov, the Bratva considers his actions an issue to be handle by them. A team has been dispatched to discuss what we learned with him, anything they feel you need to know will be shared. Which really means we will not be hearing from them." Maximus could read between the lines. "A team will also be dispatched to discuss this situation with the family that runs the territory." Because they were now in trouble for not controlling Karpov. "Can you accept that Jason?"

"I can." Jason assured the Don.

"Good. To repay you for Karpov's actions a call was made from Don Konstantin to the current head of the Cartels. You have permission to remove Luke Spencer from Mexico. In exchange the Cartels would like the names of any contacts he may have in their country. They were not pleased to hear that Americans were working on their soil, and possibly making money without paying tribute." Luke had flown under their radar and they wanted to send a message that no one else should even try.

"Do I give the information to you?" Jason had no issue with that either, his wide smile told everyone that much. They were already allowed to work in the country because Manny paved the way for them to do so. Giving up Luke's co-conspirators would not be a problem.

"No. You will contact a man named Carlos Rivera." Maximus gave Jason the information. This wasn't something you sent in a text or an email.

"Everyone gets someone to dispatch." Francis commented on the deal. "Which means no one is owed anything."

"Exactly." Maximus had been satisfied with how this turned out. He expected that the Bratva and Cartels would be busier fixing things than the Costa Nostra. "The men who are in New York are also yours to deal with."

"They will be thankful for that." Cody spoke up. "We will be more merciful than what is waiting back in Mexico." Jason would not feel the need to draw things out. They would share whatever they knew, and then be dispatched.

Jason was still grinning. He was looking forward to cleaning out this nest of vipers. "Thank you Don Giambetti."

"You're welcome. Call Palermo again next week, I need to have some products moved." Maximus's assistant would work with someone from the Morgan organization to set that up. "Ciao."

"Ciao." Jason said looking at his friends. "Call Shawn, tell him that whenever he's ready to make the snatch he can do so." It was just a matter of time now. If they were lucky by the end of the week this would be over.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	69. Chapter 69

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 69

"Do we take the guys here first, or wait for Shawn to grab Spencer?" Johnny wanted to know. Both plans had pros and cons.

"Luke first." Jason looked at his crew. "If he calls his field operatives and they don't answer it might spook him. I'm willing to bet that his guys here not being able to reach him isn't that uncommon. I'm not going to tip my hand and lose Luke. He doesn't get a chance to regroup and come at my family again."

"Do you think we should call Rivera and have backup sent for our crew?" Francis asked his boss.

"No." Jason shook his head as he spoke. "I am willing to ask Cooper to stay and point whoever Carlos sends in the right direction after Luke is in custody if they want. I'm not risking someone with an itchy trigger finger accidentally taking Spencer out. Nor do I want them to have a chance to intentionally take him out." Jason would understand if Shawn took out Luke, things happened on ops, but he trusted his friend would take every care to not harm the man Jason wanted to kill.

"So we are back to waiting." Renaldo said when Jason finished.

"This time won't be as bad as waiting for Maximus to call." Cody knew that. "We have a direction to move in which will make this easier. Somewhat." He looked around. "What happens with Steven between now and when he leaves?" That was now their immediate concern.

"Lock him in his apartment." Jason would let him stay here in the building. "He doesn't get to leave. No visitors." He stopped and drummed his fingers on the desk. "Except Elizabeth, but she doesn't get to go in alone." He looked at Marco who nodded. Jason was worried she was going to hurt her brother. She didn't need to have that on her conscious. "Guards on the door." It would be nicer accommodations than what prisoners normally experienced, but it was a still a jail cell. "Take him down now."

"I'll take him and Marco can stand post until I figure out who is taking the first shift." Renaldo got to his feet and the guard did as well. "Kyle can fill out the rest of the rotation."

Jason just nodded as his guys left.

"Do you think Liz will even want to see her brother?" Francis had his opinion and now he wanted to hear Jason's.

"No." Jason was going to be keeping a close watch on his wife in the coming days. She was losing her brother, but he wasn't dying. For Jason there had been closure, for Elizabeth that might not be the case. "She's going to struggle with that decision in the beginning. She'll feel like she turned her back on her brother, but honestly space there is good for now. I'm worried that she will hurt him." He said what he had been thinking earlier.

"That's a valid concern." Johnny added to the discussion. "She was ready to kick his ass before she walked out. The only reason she didn't was because you grabbed her."

"It might be a good time for a trip out west." Francis suggested.

"That will remind her of Brenda. I don't see us going out there for at least a few months. I'll check with her but I won't be surprised if Elizabeth wants to stay here. She may not want to see anyone for a few days though." Jason warned the guys. They would pass that message along. "I'll be working from home until I'm sure she's okay."

"You can take some time off." Francis wanted Jason to know.

"If Elizabeth follows her normal pattern she will be working." Jason was thinking that it wouldn't be as intense as it had been after AJ and Carly died. With him and Michael to come home to she wouldn't want to stay in the studio all night. "So I'll have time to work as well. If that changes I will let you know."

Jason's phone rang before they could talk further. "Morgan."

"I wanted to let you know that the airline ticket that Liz purchased was wiped from the data bank. Not by me though. The WSB did it. They also wiped the call between Liz and Brenda from both sets of phone records." Stan had tracked the electronic markers back to their source. It wasn't something that a lot of people would be able to do. "They also refunded Liz's credit card. Since I was there I took a snoop around. The file they have does state that Liz and Brenda were friends, and that Liz is not a viable source of information. It has been concluded after multiple interviews that your wife and her friend never crossed paths that day. Just a same place at the same time kind of thing." The tech guy reported. "Also Brenda's remains have been claimed by her brother which is amazing because she doesn't have one."

"That's the WSB's way of getting the remains to Alek." Jason was silent for a moment. "Who signed the report on my wife?"

"Robert Scorpio is listed as the lead investigator. The file is also co-signed by Anna Devane." Stan told his boss.

"Tag the file." Jason requested of his hacker.

"Already done. Please tell Liz I'm sorry for her loss." Stan requested as the call ended.

"I will. Thank you." Jason said before hanging up. "Elizabeth has been listed as a non-viable source of information in Brenda's death. Anna and Robert both signed the report."

"I bet that's Anna's way of apologizing for no one notifying you of Robin's case being closed." Johnny said thinking out loud.

"It also puts the blame for the death firmly on the Balkan." Francis was also thinking out loud. "Didn't Sean Donnelly die while working on the Balkan's first case?"

"Yeah." Johnny just shook his head. "He was Robert's best friend and Robin's godfather. They say we are shady. Robert is going to use Brenda's death as a reason to reopen that case. That is just wrong."

"But it keeps them from looking too closely at what we are doing." That was all Jason cared about. "Brenda's remains have been sent overseas, but Elizabeth is planting a tree here. She said no to a memorial service."

"Let us know when and we'll come support her." Johnny was speaking for all the guys. "Are you going to go get her?"

"No. She'll come home when she's ready. I think Elizabeth is missing having a mother figure to turn to, and Lila can fill that space." Jason explained why he changed his mind about heading over to the mansion. "I am going to go downstairs and get my son."

"We'll leave you to it then." Francis stood up at the same time Johnny did.

"Gia is at the hospital, want to come watch some sports." Johnny asked his friend. Diane was at the mansion.

"Sure, I can keep you from running with scissors." Francis said with a wide grin.

Jason just shook his head and followed his friends to the elevator.

* * *

When she walked out of the mansion Marco was leaning against his SUV waiting for her. "Hi."

"Are you done causing trouble, and ready to head home?" Marco asked with a grin.

"Yeah." Liz said walking over to the passenger door of the car. When he opened it she got inside. Looking over she watched her sisters, her cousin, and her friend who had all come over to lend her their support. Normally when they were together as group there was a lot of laughter going on. With Emily and Lois joining their crew that should only increase. Tonight however they had sat with her just listening as she talked about Brenda. Liz had been honest about her deceased friend, herself, and that the fact that their relationship hadn't always been easy. "I promised Paulie he wouldn't get in trouble."

"He won't. Thank you for taking him with you when you left. He said you asked him to come with you." Marco explained as they left the estate grounds.

"I know that I'm not supposed to leave the Towers alone. However if I'm going to be honest I might have left even if he didn't follow me downstairs." Liz looked over at her friend as she confessed. "I was thinking to myself that I would be safe in Jason's car if I was alone."

"Again smart thinking." Marco told her.

"This won't happen again. Me going out with someone other than you. Unless, Jason sends someone else." Liz promised him. Kyle couldn't switch Marco out without permission. "Have you ever been in a space where the pain was so big there wasn't room for anything else?"

"I have, and I made some really dumb choices because of it. Acting out was my response. I'm surprised my mother didn't lock me in a closet somewhere." The guard said chuckling. He had a rough childhood. "It passes, really slowly." He said being honest.

"Yeah." Liz said settling into the seat.

He waited to see if she was going to ask him about her brother. By the time they pulled into the garage at the Towers it was clear she had no intention of doing so. They rode in a comfortable silence up to the penthouse level.

"Night Marco." Liz said with a quick wave.

"Night Liz." Marco didn't get off the elevator, but instead watched as she walked into her home. With a nod to Cory, who was on the door, he headed down to his apartment.

* * *

Jason was sitting in the armchair facing the door. When his wife walked in he put down the book he was reading and got to his feet. "Michael is upstairs if you want to go check on him."

With a nod she walked over to the stairs, before going up she turned and walked over to where her guy was standing. Leaning up she gave him a soft kiss. When she went to pull back his fingers tangled in her hair and kept the kiss going. "I won't be long."

"Okay." Jason said with a quick smile. "Do you want some tea or hot chocolate?"

"Water please." Liz said before jogging upstairs. Michael was sleeping soundly so she gave him a kiss and told him that she loved him. Tomorrow they would spend the day together. She needed that. The urge to stop in her room and take a shower was strong, but she pushed it aside. While yes she wanted to wash this day away, she needed to talk to Jason. He was sitting on the couch this time and once again he got to his feet.

"He's still alive." Jason needed to speak first. "I've confined Steven to his apartment for the time being."

Liz just nodded. "Are you waiting to find out if what he said was true?" She was standing by the arm of the sofa and he was standing by the middle.

"I'm almost one hundred percent certain that everything he said was the truth." Jason began to fill her in on how he had spent his afternoon. "So are Johnny, Francis, and Cody. We are waiting to hear that Luke has been picked up. Lucky is on his way back to Port Charles now." Reggie had sent Johnny that message about an hour ago. "I'm not sure what he will be able to add because I'm pretty sure he was just a distraction."

"A plan within a plan." Liz said shaking her head. "I want Luke to hurt."

"He will." Jason could give her this so he would.

"After you have Luke then you'll wrap this up?" Her voice shook on the end of her question. She was dancing around what she really wanted to know, but the words to get her the answer weren't coming out.

"Yes." Jason held out his hand, Elizabeth didn't hesitate to come over and take it. "I talked to your father today." He could see that he had surprised her. "I'm sending your brother to your parents. He won't ever be able to be around Michael again, but Steven won't lose his life. Maybe this will be the push he needs to get his life together once and for all. I won't stop you from staying in contact with him."

Liz was shaking her head before he even finished his statement. "No. I can't have him in my life right now. I can't look at him and not hate him." She had cried a fair amount today and the tears started again. "I can't."

"You might change your mind." Jason said bringing her close. His heart was breaking because she was in so much pain.

"I wanted to kill him where he stood this morning. I might have tried if you hadn't stopped me." Liz turned into Jason's warmth. "I've spent almost half of my life supporting him and he was still going to rip my heart out by taking our son. He might be able to justify to himself that it was about me but it wasn't. This was him trying to make his mistake go away."

"He's sick." Jason knew this was the anger at being betrayed talking. He saw Monica do a version of this when Skye showed up.

"No. AJ was sick, Skye was sick, Steven is just weak." Liz had no room in her heart for forgiveness. "Do you know how he planned on pulling this off?"

"He has some strong sedatives downstairs in over the counter medicine bottles. I think the plan was to drug up whoever was with Michael and then take him. I'm guessing Nadine and Milo. Maybe Lee if he was with them. I'm also guessing that he wasn't going to try something in the building. Too many potential witnesses. We think if Steven had gotten that far he was supposed to hand off Michael to whoever is following him." Jason passed along what they had patched together after Steven's unit was tossed again. "We haven't questioned your brother yet. Do you want to be there when we do?"

"No. Right now I don't ever want to see him again." Liz didn't hesitate to answer. "How did you get my dad to agree to Steven moving to Germany?"

"I didn't give Jeff any choice in the matter." Jason used his thumbs to wipe his wife's tears away. "Your dad said I could still come visit, so I guess he's not too angry."

"I'm sorry I ran away from home." She turned her face into his palm and gave it a soft kiss.

"It's fine. I've been there. Paulie said that you asked him to go with you and when he hesitated you were set to leave without him." Jason started grinning. "Whenever I needed space I would hop on my bike and tear out of the garage. I never took a guard even though I should have. So you are one up on me. How is Grandmother?"

"Awesome as usual. She and Edward had another private chat." Liz told him. "Alice sat in on this one. The rest of us waited in the parlor." No one trusted Edward.

"What about?" Jason wondered if the old man had tried something.

"I told her what was going on, and she was worried that Edward was involved. Because of his history with the Spencers I don't blame her. He said that he wasn't involved in this particular plot. Getting custody of Michael through the court was as far as he went." Elizabeth shared what Lila had told her. "I'm not sure Grandmother believes him. This situation has done so much damage to this family. So many cracks formed because Edward wanted to win at all costs."

"Some cracks can be repaired. We will get to a better space with Monica and Alan. I don't think we'll ever be close but we'll do better. They seem to want to do better with Skye as well. Other cracks can't. I don't think Skye will ever forgive Edward for what he did to her." It was a decision Jason firmly supported.

"Lois was there today. She, Ned, and Brook Lynn are staying in Port Charles. Ned is going to run the relish factory until a new CEO is appointed. Skye thinks she has the perfect candidate. Lila is going to concentrate on running her foundation until she decides it's time to retire. She said if she stayed home all day she might end up hurting Edward." Liz had laughed when she said it the first time and laughed again repeating it for Jason. "Did you know Edward likes model trains?"

"No. I can't see that. Even if I could imagine I wouldn't be able to see that." Jason smiled at her. She was in a better space, but he didn't think for one minute that she was in a good space. Over the last twenty-four hours she has suffered two huge losses and that took time to move on from.

"I got news about Brenda's remains. They were sent to Paris." Jason knew his wife would want to know this.

"Why?" Liz asked confused.

"Alek is in protective custody. I think he is planning on helping the WSB catch his father. They can't send the remains directly to him without giving up his location. Paris is probably a baited trap. I'm betting that what went to France was a decoy box, while the real ashes were sent somewhere else. We can still plant a tree if you want." Jason would do whatever he could so she got some sense of closure.

"I decided that is perfect." Liz snuggled close again and Jason's arms came tightly around her. "Diane was at the mansion too, and she said it wouldn't be hard to get permission to plant another sapling."

"Was there anyone Grandmother didn't have come over?" Jason asked laughing.

"Gia was at work and Georgie said she wanted to hang out with Nadine." Liz looked up and grinned.

"I'm going to have to talk to her about breaking rules." Jason grabbed the glass of water he had waiting for his wife. "Hold this." When she took it, he scooped her up into his arms. "It's been a long day and you need some rest." Since she was so close he leaned forward and kissed her. "Tomorrow all this will still be waiting."

"It will. I'll be glad when this is over." Liz said as she was carried upstairs. Tonight she was hoping to get a few hours of sleep because tomorrow she needed to sit down and think about how she wanted to handle the conversation her mother was going to want to have. Steven going to Germany wasn't just going to cause ripples, it was going to set off a tsunami. Liz did not intend to let this sink her relationship with her parents. She had lost enough.

* * *

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	70. Chapter 70

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 70

"Just a sec!" Nadine called out and then laughed at herself. It was habit to yell that but according to Georgie the front doors were so thick sound didn't get out, or in. That was why the halls in the building were eerily silent at times. Nadine checked the peephole and opened the door. "Hi. Come in."

"Thanks." Renaldo accepted the invitation. "I wanted to come by and check on you. I haven't had a chance for more than a quick call over the past few days." Although they were texting. "I don't want you to think I'm ignoring you." He felt a little guilty, mostly he just missed her.

"I know that something is going on and that you need to focus on work." Nadine urged him to the couch and then sat next to him. "I'm not going anywhere." Another thought went through her head but she didn't say it.

Renaldo let a slow smile come to his face. "You can ask."

Nadine just laughed. When she trusted you she was an open book. If she didn't trust you she was tough nut to crack. "It's not a question. I was just thinking that having an explosion so close to Port Charles must have you guys on edge."

He didn't get the feeling that she was fishing for information so he gave her an answer. "It does. Whenever anything like that happens we look into it. Bombs are not a common thing in the area."

"Good to know." She said with a smile. "Can I go out today?" The day Brenda Barrett died, and yesterday, Nadine had been restricted to the building. She spent the time hanging with Michael and Georgie. Today she hadn't gotten a message to stay in, but she had gotten a call from Jason giving her the day off.

"You can." Renaldo nodded as he answered. "Please take Lee with you."

"I need to go grocery shopping, so he's in for a wild time." She said laughing.

Renaldo loved listening to Nadine laugh. It was infectious. It was also very much needed. "I'm not going to have much in the way of free time for the next few days. When I'm off again would you like to have dinner out?" He reached over and took her hand in his. "On a proper date where I put on a suit."

She scooted closer. "A suit doesn't make a date proper. As long as we are together and having fun then the date is a success. However I'd love to have an excuse to get all dressed up. I like the opportunity to indulge my girly side."

He would need to make sure she could indulge that side often. "I'll have a better handle on when I'll get some free time in the next few days. Then we can schedule that date. Now I have to go to work, I just wanted to see you before I left the building." Renaldo told her.

"I'm glad you stopped by." Nadine let him help her to her feet after he stood up. Her hand was still in his when they walked to the door. He reached for the knob and she stopped him. Looking up into his brown eyes she went up on her toes and brought her lips to his.

Renaldo thought confidence in a woman was sexy. Nadine was sure in herself without being cocky. The fact that she had initiated their first kiss didn't surprise him at all. He'd been wanting to kiss her for a while now, but was waiting until he took her out on a formal date.

Nadine pulled back and smiled. "Be careful." She didn't want anything to happen to him.

"I will." Renaldo promised smiling as well. "I'll call you later. Lock up behind me."

"Okay." Nadine gave him another smile before closing the door. She leaned against the steel and sighed. "My knees are actually weak. I thought that was a myth." She said to herself. Still grinning she went over to her desk and opened her laptop, she wanted to find a nice dress for that date Renaldo mentioned.

* * *

"You are getting to be so big." Liz said as she kissed on her son. They had finished breakfast and then had tummy time. "You are holding your head up longer, and I'm thinking it might not be too long before you can roll from your tummy to your back."

"I think he wants to see all the stuff going on around him." Jason commented as he came out of the kitchen. Elizabeth had cooked and he was on clean up. While in the other room he took a minute to check his messages. Lucky was at the warehouse, tomorrow he would be dealt with. Jason pushed the execution back because today was about family.

"We have a doctor's visit next week for a wellness checkup." Liz wasn't worried. Michael was hitting all his benchmarks and he was gaining weight. They had a baby scale upstairs. It wasn't a bad idea to have one with his health issues at birth, but Nadine had cautioned them to not get obsessed with those numbers. "Are you coming with us?"

"Yeah. It's on my calendar." Jason kissed his son and then kissed his wife. Michael made a high pitched noise and grinned. "I think he likes it when I kiss you." Jason did it again and Michael responded the same way. "An unexpected perk of being a dad."

"I think he is more excited about having us both close. When he's in his swing he doesn't get happy if we kiss each other." Liz said laughing. "When you kiss me you lean in. We are both touching him then. I've noticed that our son likes to be touched. Not that I mind your kisses."

Jason leaned in and kissed her again making the little boy give another happy noise. "It's the kissing." He said being silly.

"Okay." Liz laughed and Michael smiled. "I'm going to take your son upstairs and get him dressed." They were heading out.

Jason watched them go upstairs. He was keeping a close eye on Elizabeth. She had been in a good mood this morning for the most part. From time to time he saw sadness come into her eyes. He also saw pain. Brenda and Steven were very much still on her mind, she just wasn't letting it dominate her thoughts.

This trip out of the house should make her really happy. He was really excited about it. Since he had some time alone Jason got out his phone. "How are things going?"

"The territory is quiet. Shawn checked in this morning, they have a confirmed sighting of Luke. So now they are watching and looking for opportunities to make the grab. Cooper sent some photos to Stan, two men who seem to be spending a good amount of time with our pigeon. They've been identified as Cal and Joe Atkins, ex-pats from the US. The brothers both have extensive police records here in the states including outstanding warrants for various offenses. They seem to have a network of contacts. So it's a good bet that the guys watching Steven work for them. I'm reaching out to friends to see if I can get more information." Francis was checking his notes to make sure he didn't miss anything.

"The more we know about them the safer our guys will be." For Jason that was the most important thing. "Once we have Luke, the Atkins brother will be the problem of the Cartels." Although the Morgan organizations would keep watch in case someone came seeking revenge.

"Are you getting ready to head out?" Francis asked looking at his clock.

"Shortly." Jason confirmed. "We are heading to the architect's office first, and then to the construction site."

"They break ground yet?" Francis was looking forward to seeing what they were having built. It was not a process he ever wanted to go through. Diane's remodel of the house they bought was enough construction for one life time.

"No." Jason put the phone between his ear and shoulder so he could put his gun on. "They have put down a string frame on the ground with spikes. At the office we will review a 3D model, and at the site we'll see where they are actually going to place the house. Once we approve everything then they will break ground."

"Seven months right?" Francis asked his friend. Cody would know better because he was overseeing the security for the house and property.

"Assuming everything goes right." Jason confirmed for his friend. "Next spring we should be moving in. The goal is to get the exterior completed before the weather changes, and then to focus on the interior." Which would mostly be Elizabeth and the interior designer she hired.

"Any plans to go away?" Francis wanted to know.

"Haven't even asked." Jason told his friend. On the monitor he could hear Elizabeth talking with Michael and that made him smile. "I'm going to suggest a trip to the island for a long weekend at some point today." It was closer than Malibu, and they could have more privacy. "I'll give a holler if we are going to leave." This trip didn't need a lot of notice since security didn't have to be arranged. They had guards there full time.

"Hold on a sec." Francis told his friend.

"Hey." O'Brien spoke up since the phone was now on speaker. "Got a second?"

"One." Jason said as Elizabeth came downstairs with Michael. Once they walked out of the penthouse Jason wanted to be focused on his family.

"I'll make it quick. Palermo just called your office." Johnny started his report. Not Maximus, but his number two. "The Bratva took Karpov out."

"Not surprising." Francis figured this would be their response.

"He sold Steven's marker to Luke knowing you were married to Elizabeth. Karpov said he intended to back off after learning that the man who owed him money was now your brother in-law." Johnny went over what he had learned. "However when Luke showed up Karpov saw an opportunity to potentially get a marker from you after Spencer made his move."

"What's the connection between the two of them?" Jason didn't want to say names with Elizabeth so close by. She was grabbing something from the kitchen to put in the baby bag.

"Karpov often used Luke as a tracker. The Russian called Spencer to Kentucky to look for Steven. When Luke arrived Karpov said there was no job and that was when the offer of sale took place. Karpov said he had no clue exactly what Luke was planning, but that Spencer seemed excited." Johnny finished up.

"So Karpov was put to death as an accessory before the crime." Francis shook his head. For them that would be a severe beat down and getting kicked out of the Costa Nostra.

"No. His crime was not bringing the debt to his superiors' attention so they could have used it to get the marker I mentioned earlier, from Jason. This was seen as more of a wasted business opportunity then stopping a threat to Jason's son." Johnny passed along what he had been told. "We are square with the Bratva which is really all that matters."

"Good to know. We can let that go." Jason was happy to go back to not thinking about the Russian mob. They didn't have a presence anywhere in upstate New York so crossing paths with them normally didn't happen. "We are leaving now."

"Have fun." Johnny said as they ended the call. "One problem out of the way."

"We can say the same thing about Lucky Spencer tomorrow night." Francis said preparing to get back to work.

"If you need to work I can take Michael over with me." Liz didn't want Jason to feel guilty. Cancelling the appointment wasn't going to happen because she very much wanted to be out of the Towers. Just being in the same building as her brother was hurting her.

"I just needed to get an update. We can head out now." Jason let her know as he opened the door. "Marco and Rory are meeting us in the garage. Want me to carry the kid?"

"No, I have him." Liz said running her hands over his soft hair.

* * *

Jason just leaned against the wall and watched them together. Elizabeth was watching the numbers and when they got to Steven's floor she looked away. It hadn't occurred to Jason that having her brother in the building would make her uncomfortable, but it looked like that might be the case.

In the garage she got Michael settled in the car seat before getting in the SUV while Jason held the door. They pulled out first with the guys following them and Elizabeth's entire body relaxed as the knowledge that she was away from her brother settled in. Last night she had struggled not to go downstairs and pop him one. The violent urges were not going away.

"Do you want me to have Steven taken to the warehouse?" Jason asked her. Because he was driving he couldn't face her while they had this talk.

"I think that would be for the best." Liz wasn't going to hide what she was struggling with from him. It didn't surprise her either that he had picked up on it. "The fact that you can dispose of a body is a little too much temptation right now."

"Did I make the wrong choice?" Jason wanted to know. "We can arrange an accident."

"No. You didn't make the wrong choice. I am aware that right now I am being ruled by my emotions. Always the wrong time to make a major decision." She said being completely honest. "I don't want you to kill him, I want to be the one to kill him. I think what scares me the most is right now I could. He was going to do it. He wasn't ever going to ask for help, instead he was going to take our son. If he had stopped and thought about it he would have realized I wasn't in any real danger. Even if you couldn't protect me, with all the resources at your disposal you could find someone who could. Steven didn't stop to think about that. He stood in our home and confessed that he was planning on kidnapping Michael." Liz looked over at her husband. "How am I supposed to forget that?"

"I don't know." Jason thought it was truly messed up that when it came to losing a sibling he had it easier than his wife. AJ was gone, but Steven was dead to his sister. He would walking around living and breathing but he would not be a part of Elizabeth's life for the foreseeable future, if ever. Jason was starting to think that his wife was not going to ever forgive her brother. "I'll call and have him taken over to the warehouse. He'll be gone before we return."

"Thank you." Liz closed her eyes. She just wanted a break from all this, and seeing the house would do that. When they got back home she would have time to think about both her brother and Brenda. Liz wasn't hiding from this, she was just taking it in chunks that were easily processed. Having suffered so much loss she knew how to do that.

* * *

At the architect's office they got to see the blue prints for inside the house for the first time. Elizabeth had left the interior layout to the professionals. Since she hadn't ever designed a house from the ground up, she didn't know about things like load bearing walls other than the fact that houses needed them.

The first thing she thought upon seeing the layout was that the man they hired had paid attention during their meeting. She had stated that she wanted open and airy rooms while Jason stated that he preferred the house not have an open floor plan. He didn't want someone walking through the front door and seeing everything. It was the only thing they didn't see eye to eye on. Their architect found a way to make them both happy.

The second thing she noticed was that the first floor of the house had a living room, a den, and a family room. That seemed like a lot of spaces that all served the same function. She wasn't a formal living room kind of gal, and Jason wouldn't care for a space like that either. She gave it some thought and realized two of the three could be converted into home offices, or they could turn one into a library. They would figure it out before moving in, just in case she wanted things like built in bookcases.

The second floor layout was also looked over. Jason was pleased that the master bedroom was on this level. Up here there were also two open spaces marked bonus. He looked at Elizabeth and asked if she would like a media room. It would also be a good space to have the guys over to watch games. She gave her approval and the space was labeled. The other space she requested be labeled nursery, with its proximity to the master bedroom it would be great for that.

From the office they went down the hall to a conference room where a three dimensional model of their home was waiting. Liz actually starting tearing up seeing it sitting on the table. It had even been painted in the colors they had selected. Seeing this made it feel real that they were building the place their family would grow.

"You did an amazing job." Jason had no trouble seeing this. He knew it was based on the sketch she made. "How much of this is you?"

"The front." Liz was amazed by that. "After we sat and talked I went out to the house on Marsh Road and made a few adjustments. Nothing major. I had some of the windows wrong, and I wanted to make sure I was getting the spirit of the Queen Anne style correct. Then I made poor Renaldo drive me around until I found a Farmhouse to look at." He had still been her guard at that point. "My sketch looks exactly like the front of the house. Everything else is the talented man we hired."

Jason kissed her forehead and then kissed Michael who was watching them. "Ready to go to nowhere?" After that stop they would head home.

"I am. What about you Michael? Are you ready to go see where they will build our house that has your new room?" The little boy grinned. "That's a yes."

Jason smiled at them. His family. Things had been rough but they were almost to the other side. They were strong in the beginning and they were stronger now. "Let's go tell Seth we are ready." He knew other organizations were watching his response to what had happened, and was still happening. From how he handled this they would know to not come after him again.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	71. Chapter 71

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 71

Jason leaned over and gave his wife a quick kiss. "I'll be back in a few hours. You don't have to wait up for me." It wasn't that late at the moment, but it would more than likely be after midnight when he returned. "Marco is downstairs if you need anything." The guard had volunteered to stay behind which was appreciated.

"We'll be fine." Liz promised Jason. "The kid is sleeping and I'm going to have a soak in the tub before crawling into bed to watch television. It will be a good night to binge watch something." They watched a good number of things together, but they each had programs they watched alone.

"I love you." He wanted her to know.

"I love you too." Liz knew he was going to the warehouse to end Lucky Spencer's life. She still had no problem with that. He had murdered her best friend and her brother in-law for money. This was no less than he deserved. Him and his father both.

Jason walked out of the penthouse and nodded to Liam who was standing post. He rode down to the garage alone but Johnny and few guards were waiting for him. "Did Renaldo leave already?"

"Yeah. He went over a while ago. Francis is at the warehouse as well. I gave Cody the night off." Johnny could do that without asking.

Something in his friend's voice was off. "Is there a problem?"

"Skye is having a bit of rough time. Not the pregnancy. Everything is good there. She's having nightmares that someone is going to take her baby away." Johnny knew that Cody would have shared this with the family at some point. The former marine had asked Johnny to tell Jason tonight.

"That's not surprising with everything that has taken place." Jason commented only a little worried. If things were really bad Cody would have spoken up before now. "Does she know about Steven?" He didn't tell Elizabeth she had to be quiet about what her brother was planning on doing. Mainly because he didn't have to. She would be careful about who she spoke to.

"No. Cody thinks that this is about what Edward tried to do." Johnny though that Jason's grandfather was going to burn in hell for that.

Jason just nodded. It was more than likely about what Edward did to her as a baby. That wasn't common knowledge, and if it became so it would be Skye who shared the information. The old man had burned so many bridges in his quest for control and now he was left to deal with the consequences. It was doubtful he would ever know Skye's child. He and Elizabeth were still trying to decide what Edward's relationship with Michael would look like. Although not even for Lila was Jason ready to let the old man near his son at the moment.

"I'll check in on them tomorrow. If he needs time off that's fine." Jason just wanted his sister to not be stressed. "You and Gia thinking of having kids?"

"No." Johnny said shaking his head while laughing. "Not even when drunk. We may get a dog at some point. I'm looking forward to totally corrupting Michael and any of the other kids that come along. Gia is also looking to be the fun aunt. That is good enough for us."

"I'll be sure to warn Elizabeth about that corruption." Jason said laughing. "What are we talking exactly?"

"I figure for his first birthday I'd take him out drag racing." Johnny said with a quick grin. "It's never too early to show him how to be a winner and how to collect some pink slips. He's gonna need a modified car seat and a helmet."

"That's fine." Jason said keeping the joke going. "I was worried you were going to say you planned on teaching Michael some swear words. Elizabeth might hurt us both if you do that."

"I'm not even allowed to swear in my own home, so no that won't happen. He'll have to learn how to do that from Francis." Johnny knew that not using profanity would be hard for their friend. If he and Diane started a family they would need a swear jar in their house. Especially since they were considering adopting an older child. "I can teach him about tailoring. The poor kid will be sunk if he goes shopping with you."

Jason just shook his head. "I'm pretty sure Diane has that covered."

"Good point." Johnny said as they pulled up to the warehouse. "Who first."

"Steven." Jason had a few things to tell the other man. "Then Lucky. Are they near each other?"

"No. If Steven hadn't spilled his guts I would let him listen to you working over Spencer. Since he did there is no reason to scare him to death. We even put some comfortable furniture in the room for Steven." Not that he would be here for long. Holding people for an extended period of time was asking to get caught. Folks were generally here for under a week. "Have Liz's parents called yet?"

"No." Jason answered as they got out of the SUV. "I'm guessing they are figuring out what they want to do with their son. When a decision is reached I figured they would call Elizabeth. I'm a little concerned they are going to turn on her because of what I'm forcing them to do." That wouldn't go over well.

"Given their history with Steven it's a legit concern. What did Liz say about your decision?" It never occurred to Johnny that Jason hadn't talked about this with his wife.

"She said I did the right thing. Even though right now she wants to hurt him badly, and maybe even kill him if she was around him for too long, she said my choice was correct." Jason was back to thinking in time she would forgive Steven, but that would be for herself not for him.

"How is she doing with Brenda's passing?" Johnny followed Jason into the warehouse and pointed to his right. That was the side of the building Steven was on.

"She is taking it slow. I think planting the tree will help a great deal. It's a sad fact that we've both had so much loss we know how to fit it into our everyday lives. There haven't been any intense work jags. I think that's because like I said before she just wasn't as close recently with Brenda. They were still friends, but they didn't talk as much as Elizabeth and Carly did."

Johnny remembered Liz said that she had waited almost a month before calling the model because she needed a break after the Port Charles visit. Liz had been kind of embarrassed at her friend's diva like behavior. If Brenda hadn't died Liz might have done something similar this time.

"Elizabeth will work through this and she knows that we are all here supporting her." Jason remarked as they approached Steven's room. He nodded to the guard on the door before stepping inside with Johnny behind him. "Steven."

"Jason." Steven had been sitting here wondering what the change of location meant. In the back of his mind a little voice was saying he knew what it meant. He was about to leave this earth. That voice was currently being ignored.

"I'm waiting to hear from your father." Jason wasn't going to drag this out. "Once I do, I'll be sending you to Germany to live."

"You aren't going to kill me?" Steven asked surprised and relived. "Did my sister ask you not to?" He was hoping at some point to be able to talk to her again.

"No." Jason didn't care how that made the other man feel. "You are pretty much dead to her at the moment. If you have any chance of that changing you'll let her decide when she's ready to resume contact. In case that was too subtle, don't call her. Don't text her, and don't email her."

"You'll let us talk?" Steven found that surprising.

"I don't control your sister. Whether or not you two repair this breach you caused is up to her, and her alone." Jason made clear. "You are not allowed back in the United States for a year. You aren't allowed back in New York or California at all. Nor will you be allowed to know Michael or any other children I have with Elizabeth."

"You're going to have me watched." Steven got the unspoken message.

"I am." Jason decided that Bobby would relocate. The Fischer family had given their okay, and an apartment was being secured for the guard. Since this was just to make sure Steven stayed in Europe they weren't going to send another guard. If Bobby needed assistance the Fischer family, who were friends of Jason's, agreed to provide it. This was only costing the mob boss a free shipload of coffee, which was better than an IOU.

"How did you get my parents to agree to that?" Steven was wondering what he was going to be walking into. There was a chance his mother might kill him herself.

Jason simply ignored the question. "If you violate any of the rules I just laid out the results will be painful. Violate them more than once and I'll remove you from among the living. Are we clear?"

"Yes." Steven said quietly. He got the impression that he was coming out of this luckier than the people who sent him here. There was still also a chance that Libby might talk to him again. It was a small chance, but it was there. "Thank you."

Jason didn't say anything else he just walked from the room. "Now Lucky."

"He won't be living up to that nickname tonight." Johnny said with a bit of dark humor.

"Nope." Jason said in agreement.

"That's a serious challenge to the universe to call yourself that." Johnny said thinking that was the name for a kid not an adult. Some things really were better left in childhood.

"Has anyone heard from Shawn recently?" Jason wanted to know. There was never direct contact between him and field operatives.

"He checked in. He is planning on scooping up Luke tomorrow night barring any complications." Johnny had gotten that information from Cody. "I think Francis has more details because he was in Cody's office when the report came in."

"That's enough for now." Jason could get a more detailed briefing after they were done. He opened the door and as he stepped into the room a look of disgust came across his face. "How long has he been like that?"

"Pretty much since he woke up." Renaldo told his boss.

Lucky Spencer was sitting in the corner, curled up in a ball, and crying his eyes out. Loudly. Many men had died in this room over the years. There had been a variety of ways they went out. Crying like a baby was generally not among them. The men held here knew what brought them to this space, and weren't surprised at the outcome. If you killed someone close to Jason he got revenge. There also tended to be a point of pride to go out with your dignity intact, at least at the start. Not many men could maintain their composure when getting worked over.

Johnny just shook his head. If you killed someone then you had to realize getting caught might be the end result. The least you could do was face your punishment like an adult. If he was ever in this position, and he was going to do his best to make sure he wasn't, he promised himself he wouldn't going out sniveling.

Jason walked over to one of the two chairs in the center of the room. "Spencer, get your ass over here." The blonde mob boss yelled across the room.

Lucky was still crying as he got to his feet and shuffled across the room. He was wearing shackles at the moment, having never been in prison this was a new experience. Even when he had been taken from the court to jail it had only been in handcuffs. "Please don't kill me." He cried as he sat in the empty chair. "It was my father's idea. He sent me."

Honor among thieves was clearly not something that Lucky cared too much about. That had all the guys shaking their heads. You didn't rat on the people you were working with. Unless you had no choice you took that information to the grave. "Where is your father?"

"I don't know." Lucky said still crying. "Probably Mexico." He was feeling hopeful that if he gave them his father then he might walk away with only broken bones. "Usually Cozumel."

They already knew that, Jason just wanted to see how honest Lucky was going to be. The fact that he didn't hesitate to give his father up boded well for any future information he told them. "Who would he be in contact with down there?"

"The Atkins brothers. Cal and Joe. They run a small outfit that my dad hires." Lucky continued to give up information.

"You got any other names for the crew down there?" Jason wanted to know.

"No." Lucky said also shaking his head. He was rocking slightly in his chair and made himself stop. "Are you going to kill me?" The words came out of his mouth without his permission. He was holding his breath waiting for the answer.

"Yes." Jason said like was a no brainer. "You killed my brother and sister in-law. There is no way I'm going to let you stay alive."

"It was an accident." Lucky said, back to crying, as if that made it better.

"Did you deliberately chase them?" Jason wanted to know.

"Yes." Lucky said in a small voice.

"Did you deliberately hit them with your car?" Jason kept going.

"Yes." Lucky's voice was smaller still. "But I didn't mean for them to hit the tree."

"They did hit the tree, and then you left them there to die. I'm going to deliberately hit you repeatedly with my fist, and then Renaldo is going to deliberately put a bullet in your brain." Jason's voice was hard and ice cold. "Before I do that I want to know how much my grandfather gave you to come here and try to steal my son."

"Thirty million." Lucky was back to rocking in his chair. He didn't know fear like this existed. "Fifteen up front which my dad took. Siobhan and I were to split the back end." He didn't even think to ask about how she was doing. He was hoping that a heart attack from fear would kill him before things got bad.

"Seven and half million dollars, that's a decent price tag on your life. Definitely more than you are worth. Too bad that you didn't even get to see a penny of it." Jason said getting to his feet which made the other man whimper. "Your father is going to die as well, so the two of you will be reunited in hell."

Lucky curled into himself and watched Jason pull on a pair of leather gloves. Lucky remembered thinking this was going to be his last job with his father, but this wasn't how it was supposed to end. It was supposed to end with him branching out on his own and being successful. His dad always said you had to know when to get out. It looked like Lucky had badly misjudged where his stop on this ride was.

* * *

Elizabeth was in the kitchen refilling her glass when the phone rang. Given the late hour she wasn't expecting anyone to call. Immediately she wondered what might be wrong. Considering how things had been going lately that wasn't surprising. When the caller ID showed that the call was coming from Germany, her first instinct was to not pick up.

It seemed just the height of irony that her parents would be calling now, considering that Jason was possibly talking with her brother at this very minute. She also didn't expect them to call so quickly. The fact they were had Liz wondering if she was about to face her mother's anger. Even when angry her dad wasn't as vocal as her mom.

Putting this off might make it worse. If her mother lit into her when Jason was home he wouldn't stay out of things. So taking a deep breath Elizabeth picked up the receiver. "Hi."

"Hi." Carolyn had tried three times to make this call. The first time she didn't even dial the number. The second time she got up to the last digit before hanging up. "I wanted to call and talk to you before we start dealing with your brother."

"Okay." Liz was shaking but her voice was level.

"Elizabeth." Carolyn could feel tears forming. "I'm so sorry."

"Mom." Liz started to speak.

"No sweetie, let me get this out. It's long overdue. I'm so sorry that I made you Steven's caretaker. You're his sister, and of course you want him to be healthy but we're his parents. We should have been the ones doing the brunt of the work when it came to helping your brother get his life back on track. That fact that we weren't is mostly my fault. I was so angry when Sarah died, and I never moved past that. I blamed your brother when it honestly it wasn't his fault. I heaped more guilt on top of what he was already feeling." She had to take a break to calm down.

"I saw him drifting into trouble. I saw his drinking getting worse, and I didn't do anything. I said he deserved that pain, which was wrong. It was so wrong." Her voice drifted off. "I didn't do anything when you called to say you were putting your brother in rehab, I didn't even offer to help cover the cost. I was so bitter and so determined to make him suffer like I had that I didn't stop to think that you were suffering too."

"The fact that your brother was able to hurt you like this is just as much my fault as his. This is my rock bottom I guess because I can clearly see how I helped get our family to this point. I'm going to do better. Which will let your father do better as well." Carolyn solemnly promised her daughter.

Liz just listened to her mother and was hit with another moment of irony. Her parents were willing to try with Steven. After all these years they were ready to try, but now she wasn't. So their family was still broken. Maybe in time it wouldn't be this bad, but standing in her kitchen she finally had an inkling as to how her mother felt the night Sarah died.

"We will take care of Steven." Carolyn continued. "You take care of our grandson. Please ask Jason if we can come get your brother. If he'd rather not, then after we get your brother settled your father and I would like to come to New York."

"Steven can't come with you. Not here or Malibu." Liz knew what Jason was telling her brother. "He's not permitted near us, I don't want him near us." It needed to be clear this was her decision.

"I understand. What happens between you and your brother is between the two of you. I'm not in any position to offer advice or to pass judgement. I just wanted to let you know that I love you. That both your father and I love you. Always." Carolyn was going to do better by both her children from this point forward. It was long overdue. "Jeff spoke with Jason, he said your husband is scary." Carolyn permitted herself to have a small laugh.

"He loves us." Liz said with a sad smile. "You can come get Steven, I'd like you to meet your grandson and son in-law." Jason would leave the decision up to her anyway.

"We'll make travel plans. Hopefully we'll be there in a few days." Carolyn knew that Jeff was already moving things around on his calendar. "I'll call when I know for sure. I love you Libby." She had to say it again.

"I love you too Mom." Liz was hoping they could come. She hung up the phone and burst into tears. One step forward, and one giant step back for the Webber family. Maybe in time things would get better, right now she just didn't see how.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	72. Chapter 72

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 72

"Morning." Jason had Elizabeth in his arms which was the best way to start the day. Last night when he returned home she had been sleeping. After his shower he slipped under the blankets and that was when he noticed the dried tear tracks on her face. He wanted to know why she had been crying.

"Morning." Liz said snuggling close. Having him here was relaxing her. When she crawled between the covers last night she had still be crying. She also had a major headache. Being home alone with Michael meant she couldn't take anything that would knock her out, especially since she didn't know when Jason was returning. Calling Nadine at that late hour didn't even cross Liz's mind. Instead she had fallen into a light, and fitful sleep, until she felt her husband's arms come around her. "Does Michael need a bottle?" She couldn't see the clock.

"In a bit." Jason had taken the earliest feeding of the morning. Elizabeth didn't even stir when he got out of bed. "What upset you last night?" The fact that she wasn't sleep peacefully when he got home said the tears hadn't been happy ones. He was worried it had something to do with Brenda's passing.

"My mother called." Liz explained looking up at him.

"Did she yell at you?" Jason wanted to know.

"No. Although I was bracing for it." Liz probably worried on a subconscious level that she would do something to cause her parents to walk away. They had a great relationship, but she figured if they could walk away from one child they could do it to another. "She apologized for putting me in a position where I was taking care of Steven. She said that she and my dad were going to try to do better with him. She also asked if they could come get him. I said it was fine." Liz told him about the conversation.

"What exactly made you cry?" Jason asked rubbing her back because she was still tense.

"The realization that the family is still fractured." She could feel the tears threatening again. Lying here it occurred to her that she was grieving for her family. For the fact that they still hadn't gotten it right. The loss of her relationship with her brother was devastating. "I already miss Steven, which sucks because he's still alive. He's in the same city as me and I'm so filled with anger I can't even be in the same room with him. I feel like he was stolen from me. Which makes me sad too." She moved closer and put her head on Jason's shoulder.

"Your mother can more than likely help you with those feelings. They sound a lot like what she was experiencing after Sarah died." Jason said drawing a parallel. "It's good that she is coming. Get the dates and I'll send the plane. The crew can take Bobby over when they pick up your folks. How long will they be staying?"

"No clue. Probably not long." Elizabeth was guessing no more than three days, if that. "I'm thinking a long visit will take place before the year is out. They will come here or to California if we are out there." Germany would be Steven's home and Elizabeth wouldn't encroach upon that. She wouldn't make his world smaller than it would already be at the moment. That showed that she still cared about her brother. "We'll set up an apartment for them to use."

He snuggled her closer. "When it comes to your brother I get it, I know something about not getting along with a sibling. My advice is take it a day at a time. AJ and I were in a very bad place when I first woke up from my coma. Really bad. We eventually made our way out of that. It took years though. It also took a lot of work on both sides. Give yourself this time to deal with your emotions. I told Steven not to contact you; that you would be in touch when you are ready. You'll know when you are ready, even if the first call is you just yelling at him."

"Is that how things went with you and AJ?" Liz appreciated him sharing this with her.

"No." Jason said laughing. "We hadn't talked in about a year and for some reason we were in the rose garden at the same time. We went from glaring at each other to a full on fist fight in a matter of seconds. We were both a mess when it was over, and we had killed a section of plants. Grandmother was less than pleased with us." He laughed a little harder. "Actually that's an understatement."

"Wow." Liz had missed this story. "How much damage did you do to each other?"

"He broke my nose. I knocked out three of his teeth. We both needed stitches on our hands, and AJ's actually ended up being broken. As punishment our parents put us in the same room in the ER. After the doctors were done we learned we had been locked in." It was not a move either of them had seen coming. "My dad was on the other side of the door and he said they would let us out in a couple of hours. We sat in silence for most of the time but about twenty minutes before we left AJ said he was sorry for almost killing me. We didn't talk to each again for another five months. That time no one needed to go to the hospital."

"It got better from that point on." Liz wasn't asking. The fact that they were close enough that AJ left Michael with his brother said it all.

"Slowly, but yeah it did. I don't think you and Steven will end up in a fist fight. Just be ready for the first time you talk to him to not be so pretty." Jason would hopefully be around afterwards to help her level out.

"So noted." Liz closed her eyes. "I'm still tired."

"You didn't sleep well. Stay in bed. When Michael wakes up, I'll go get him and he can hang out in here with us until I need to leave. I have to go see Skye today. After that I'll come back home and work from my office. Are you going into the studio?"

"Maybe for a few hours. I have some ideas floating in my brain that want out." That was sign she was in a better space. The issue with Steven wasn't going to be resolved anytime soon so she would compartmentalize it so it didn't wreck everything else. "I'll call Nadine and she can take Michael out for a bit."

"Okay." Jason leaned forward and gave his wife a lingering kiss. "I love you. I wouldn't have made it through all this without you."

"I love you too. Together we can get through anything." She said snuggling up again. A morning of rest was just what she needed.

* * *

He called ahead to make sure his sister had time to speak with him. She was unavailable but her assistant told him at eleven Skye would be free. So he was sitting in the reception area by quarter of. At eleven on the dot he was shown into the spacious office. "You painted." This was at one time Edward's domain. Jason had only been in the office once after changing his last name.

"I also redecorated." Skye was loving all the natural light that came in through the windows. Deception didn't get this much light because of where it was located. "Did you come to check on your investment?" She asked teasing her brother.

"I don't own stock so technically it's my wife's investment." Jason said looking carefully at his sister. "Considering the company is run by the woman the last International Business Review called one of the savviest minds in the game, I think Elizabeth doesn't have anything to worry about. Shouldn't you have that article framed and on your wall?"

"I don't brag. My profit margins speak for themselves." Skye said laughing. The article had left her stunned though. It was nice to be recognized by her peers. "So what brings you down?" She stood up to join him. They could relax in the sitting area.

Jason blinked in surprise. "When did that happen?" He asked looking at her tummy, which was a lot bigger. "I just saw you a few days ago."

"The baby is growing." Skye said laughing at him. "They do that. I would recommend if you know any other pregnant ladies you don't have that reaction. They will hurt you. Those of us who are gestating tend to be sensitive about our size."

"Sorry." Jason said looking a bit sheepish. "How are things with the baby?" This could take him into why he came.

"Good. Kicking up a storm." Skye would let him feel if the baby got going while he was here. "Can I get you anything?"

"No. I came to check on you." Jason told his sister. "A lot has been going on, I wanted to come and make sure you were doing okay."

"I'm not the one who just went through trying to have my child taken by a family member." Skye pointed out. "We should be checking in on you. Elizabeth looked tired yesterday." Skye didn't even wonder why Liz was at the mansion. Lila was the person they all sought out when in pain.

Jason mentally thought that his sister only knew the half of what was going on. He was glad that she didn't know about Steven, because more stress was the last thing that was needed. "It's over now. Which means I can be there for any family members who need me. Like my big sister who is maybe struggling some with what was done to her."

"That wasn't even subtle." Skye said blinking back tears. "Not the least little bit."

"I know." Jason opened his arms. "Come here." When she was close he wrapped her up in a hug. Not a tight one though because he was guessing squeezing her now wasn't a good thing. "Talk to me."

"It's silly." Skye said leaning against him. "I have a guard, this baby is going to have a guard. Cody will be watching over us, and so will you. What happened to me will not happen to my baby. I know that, but there is a part of me that has turned Edward into this giant boogeyman."

"Let's sit down." Jason urged her over to the couch. "Do you want some water?" He asked as he grabbed some tissues.

"No. This will pass, I just need to process what I learned." Skye was grateful for all the family she had. "Cody has been amazing. Knowing you won't yell at him if you find him napping in his office will help." She said on a watery laugh.

"There is a reason all the offices have couches." Jason laughed as well. "He knows he can take time off if necessary. Whatever you guys need you'll get."

"I talked to Kelly. Doctor patient privilege means she can't share this, but she needed to know why I was out of whack. She told me that nightmares like this are not uncommon even without my history. She gave me the name of a therapist I can talk with if I feel the need. It just seems like I'm being dramatic, this isn't even something I remember." She had told all this to Cody too.

"It's a real threat. Not just from Edward. The world in general isn't always the safest place." Jason wasn't trying to make her feel worse. He was however going to be honest, because he thought that was what she needed from him. "Cody will not let anything happen to you, and we are backing him up. If the unthinkable did take place, we would not stop until your baby was home. No matter how long it took."

"Cody said the same thing." Skye shared with her brother. "I believed him, and I believe you too." She leaned back onto the sofa. "I have decided that Edward can't be in my child's life at the moment. I don't want that and neither does Cody. Lila knows and understands my decision. We will reassess later. Maybe if he shows some remorse for what he's done. I'll need that more than an apology."

"He's already down three great-children." Jason just shook his head. He was starting to believe what Johnny said about karma being a real thing. All the negativity that Edward had put out into the universe had come home to roost. "Lois is keeping Brook Lynn away too because she said that Edward is not the kind of great-grandparent she wants for her child. Ned is supporting that decision."

"It's like an avalanche." Skye said feeling sad at just how dysfunctional their family was. "I'm considering talking with Edward. I think it might be the only thing that will stop the nightmares. Could you possibly send Cody out of town that night?" She asked with a wide smile.

"No." Jason just shook his head. "He would hurt me if I did. I'm a dad and a husband now. I can't make reckless decisions anymore. If you decide to do that everyone will support you. I'll also tell Alice to pat you down for weapons."

"She'll probably hand me a pipe on the way into the room." Skye said with a smirk. "Edward is not her favorite person."

"Good point." Jason looked at his sister. "Elizabeth and I both love you. Whatever you want to do we will support. Cody can even sleep in one of guest rooms after you two fight about you being anywhere near Edward."

"Maybe I'll mention it this week at dinner." She meant the Sunday night gathering.

"The guys will side with Cody." Jason pointed out the flaw in her thinking. They were laughing when her assistant knocked and mentioned that Skye's phone conference was due to start shortly. "I'll get out of your hair. Call us if you need anything, no matter how small."

"Thanks." She got another hug. Just having this talk was making her feel better. "Give Liz and Michael hugs for me."

"Will do." He said kissing her cheek and heading out with Rory behind him.

* * *

Luke walked into his home smiling. He had spent the evening in the company of a lovely senorita which was never a bad way to pass time. He had gotten a report from Eddie and the crew that they hadn't seen Steven in a couple of days so tomorrow they would send him another warning. The final warning. The crew in Port Charles would have to find a way to get Morgan's wife if this didn't get Steven moving. Backing off didn't even occur to Luke. It wasn't like it was his ass on the line. Eddie would still come home but the other two guys in New York were expendable.

Thinking on expendable people Luke realized that he had no clue what was up with his boy. He might need to send someone into the police station to get some eyes on Lucky. Luke wasn't feeling a lot of paternal concern. He just wanted to make sure his son was keeping his mouth shut.

All that could be done tomorrow, he thought locking up and heading deeper into his personal space. Tonight he was going to sit out in his backyard and smoke a cigar before bedtime. Or that had been the plan. "Hello."

"Hello Luke." Shawn was sitting in the living room with his gun pointed at the man who just came home. "Jason Morgan would like to see you."

"Is that right?" Luke asked calm as a cucumber. This was far from the first tight spot he had been in. "I hadn't planned on returning to the states just yet."

"You know what they say about the best laid plan." Shawn replied as he smiled. The man in front of him was so obvious. He was going to go for his gun, which would be a mistake. Luke's ego would demand that he prove he was the top dog in this situation, which wasn't even close to being true. Jason wouldn't care if the prisoner had a hole or two in him when he arrived back in the states. So Shawn would have no problem pulling the trigger. He raised his gun a bit higher. "So the vacation is over."

As predicted Luke stuck is hand under his jacket to reach for his gun, and that was when Cooper hit him on the back of the head. "Did he seriously think that he was going to get his gun out and shoot you before you took him down?"

"Spencer is an egomaniac, and a legend in his own mind." Shawn said getting to his feet and watching as his partner on this job tied up Spencer. "His skills as a tracker are top notch, but he was never the gangster he thought he was." The older man really shouldn't have tried to run with the big dogs. This was a situation where staying on the porch would have been the wiser choice. Shawn got out his phone and sent a text to Johnny.

"I was expecting him to be harder to take down." Cooper said getting to his feet now that the unconscious man was bound.

"I prefer the no drama approach. I'm too pretty to deal with scars." Shawn said laughing. He'd been shot before and it was not an experience he was anxious to repeat. When a job could be completed without bullets flying that was always best. "Let's head to the plane." Their ride back to Mexico City was waiting. They would drive into the states and then hop another plane.

"I'm looking forward to visiting Port Charles, it's been a while." Cooper would also enjoy catching up with Logan before they went back to their separate bases of operation. Cooper was just more at home in Europe these days so he would be returning to Italy when this job was done. With a nice fat paycheck.

"There have been some changes since you were last there. The ladies are still really pretty though." Shawn said with a wide grin.

"That's the best reason for a visit I can think of." Cooper was grinning as he hefted Luke's dead weight over his shoulder.

* * *

Johnny picked up his vibrating phone and read the message. In response he sent out a text of his own. The crew here would be picking up the three men that compromised Luke's squad. Stan really was amazing with a computer. He had used Steven's phone to trace back the number of the leader of the trio and get the man's location. Then Stan hijacked his phone to find the other two men on the team. Luke was smart to send more than one guy, the problem was that they were smarter.

"Is everything okay?" Gia was stretched out with her head on her guy's lap. They were binge watching their favorite show because they were behind.

"It's all good." Johnny leaned forward and gave her a kiss. When Shawn texted that they were on the second leg of their journey, then Johnny would send a message to Rivera that the Cartel could move against the Atkins brothers. This was wrapping up nicely he thought before turning his attention back to the television.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	73. Chapter 73

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 73

Once again Jason found himself back at the warehouse. This time it was to finally put an end to the drama that they had been enduring. There had been two main players in making life for the Morgans stressful. Edward was contained and now Luke Spencer was going to be eliminated.

For the last three days the older man had been their guest in Port Charles. He'd been spending some quality time with Renaldo. While Jason had felt the need to get hands on with Lucky, for this he was letting his enforcer take the lead. Jason would however be ending Luke's life tonight, which wasn't the case with his son. Jason wanted to personally kill the older man because he wanted those who were watching to understand that he still had no qualms about handling problems himself when necessary.

"I wasn't expecting you." Jason grinned at Cody. "Skye's doing okay?"

"She is." Cody had felt okay about leaving the house tonight. His girl had been sleeping better over the last few nights. "Thank you for going to see her." He suspected her talk with Jason had calmed her. "Also for what you said."

Jason just looked a little confused. "I didn't say anything special. I probably said the same thing you've been telling my sister." They would both want her to know they were going to do everything possible to keep her and the baby safe.

"I think she needed to hear it from a family member." Cody explained to his boss. "Your dad really did a number on her. What Edward did is in a class of its own, so I'm not going to address that. It is also what kind of pushed her over the edge, so to speak." The former solider went into more detail. "However it was Alan who made it so she didn't feel like she belonged here. He went out of his way to make her feel like she should leave. Skye is still trying to work out why he did that."

They were walking up the hall and Jason stopped to look at his friend. "Is my sister worried that Alan knew what Edward did? That maybe Alan was the one who wanted to make sure she never found out about the Quartermaines." The blonde mob boss thought that was what he was picking up. Not from Cody's words, but from what the former solider hadn't said.

"Yes." Cody also knew that his girl wasn't going to say anything to either Jason or Emily. With all the drama that had been going on Skye didn't want to add more. She was also worried about what effect this might have on Lila's health.

"How much trouble are you going to be in for telling me this?" Jason asked with a smirk. He was glad that his friend did even with the possible fallout.

"A lot." Cody couldn't keep this to himself. "I'm going to have this looked into. If he did help I have no idea how I will take that." Meaning he might end up going off on Alan.

"If he was a part of that, then he deserves whatever you do." For Jason it was just that simple.

"I'm tired of your family." Cody said being blunt. Then he realized how that sounded. "You know what I mean."

"I know you were talking about a certain segment of the Quartermaines." Jason assured his friend. "You may have been including me in that grouping though." He said laughing.

"You?" Cody said with an angelic smile. "I would never talk badly about you."

"Ass." Jason said trying not to laugh. "I would appreciate you letting me know what you find out."

"Not a problem." They started walking again and this time it was Cody who stopped. "I don't think Em should know. She doesn't know what Edward and Lila were fighting about. I don't know that it's fair to potentially destroy her relationship with Alan." Cody thought of Em like a little sister and just wanted to protect her.

"You can try to keep this under wraps, but in this family secrets always get out." Jason would respect whatever Skye and Cody decided to do. "Learning about it now, if there is something to learn about, might keep Em from being hurt further down the road. Or yes, it could blow up her relationship with Alan." She wouldn't be upset with Skye for staying quiet.

"Let me see what I find out, and my girl can decide how we proceed. I asked Logan to do some digging. Lila gave us a copy of the report her detective submitted so he is using that as a starting point." Cody passed along. "This is on my dime, just so you know." He wasn't expecting Jason to cover the cost.

"Skye is family. Logan will be paid by Morgan International." Jason wasn't going to take no for an answer. "Let's get this over with so we can both get back home."

* * *

In the large room Luke was tied to a chair which was the only reason he was upright. He had been thoroughly worked over. Him suffering was what Jason wanted, he just wished it could go on for longer. Every painful moment they that he and Elizabeth had endured recently, starting with the deaths of AJ and Carly, had some connection to Luke.

Usually Jason knew the enemy that was coming for him, but not this time. In fact this was the first time he would be setting eyes on Luke. It would also be the last because from this room his body was going to the funeral home that sometimes disposed of remains for them. With the volume of enemies they had been dispatching lately not everyone could be taken to the Pine Barrens.

"Hello Luke, I'm Jason Morgan." The blonde mob boss introduced himself. "You left Port Charles before I started working for Sonny, and if you hadn't been so fucking greedy then our paths would have never crossed. Only that wasn't the case. Your desire for money that you had no right to kept you coming when you really should have crawled back into whatever hole you were spawned in."

The guys were standing behind their boss watching him with Luke. They were not expecting this to take very long. Jason was here simply to end things. A lot of thought went into how enemies were dealt with. With Jason being such a powerful figure in their business it was a big deal for him to personally kill you. It was not something that everyone had earned. Lucky had been a foot solider following orders, despite going off script that was all he was. As the leader of the people who came after Jason, Luke was a different matter. He needed to die at Jason's hand so that others knew to think twice before trying anything, particularly where his family was concerned.

"Your son is dead. Not that you've bothered to ask during your time here." Jason thought that was pathetic. It wasn't surprising though. The older man was selfish to the core. "Were you loyal to anything in your life? The fact that you sacrificed your own son for money probably answers that question." Jason shook his head in disgust.

"It would have been worth it." Luke managed to get out. "More money than I could spend in a lifetime." He wheezed as he finished.

"The fifteen million should have been enough." Jason said letting Luke know that they were aware of his deal with Edward. "Did you really think Steven would have the balls kidnapped my son?"

"He loved his sister. It made him weak." Luke said with a chuckle. "That's why I never let myself love anyone. Everyone needs to be expendable. His guilt was why he would have done it. Steven was weak, but he would do anything to protect his sister." Luke coughed because drawing in air hurt, and then groaned in pain as his body shook. "He would have gone for the snatch, and he would have succeeded." He managed to finish up.

Jason didn't say anything but thought about what Luke had just said. Steven did love his sister, no one doubted that. He loved her enough that he was willing to have her hate him for doing what he deemed necessary. A person like that was dangerous in their own way. Jason also realized that Elizabeth was probably the only person who could have made her brother confess. With her life on the line Steven would have never told them why he was really here.

"No, he wouldn't have. In fact he didn't." Jason told the older man. "Your crew here and in Mexico have all been wiped out. You didn't get the payday you were planning on, and you got a lot of people killed. You did luck out though because I'm going to be kinder to you than the Cartels are going to be with your workers."

Even though he was about to die Luke did realize he was getting off easy. The Cartel members were sadistic sons of bitches. They got off on causing pain. The Atkins brothers would be tortured for weeks before being allowed to die. So as messed up as it was Luke was happy to be here and not in Mexico.

"Any last words?" Jason wanted to know.

Luke gave his captures a cocky grin. "Sonny said I would die if I ever came back to this piece of shit town. If he had the balls to kill me back then you wouldn't be here now. He always was more bark than bite."

Jason pulled on his gloves as he walked over to Renaldo who handed his boss a switch blade. With the weapon in hand the blonde mob boss went back over and hit the button that made the blade pop out. He stabbed the knife into his prisoner's thigh, severing his femoral artery, and then extracted it letting the blood pour freely over Luke's leg.

"That's cold. Which fits with your reputation." Luke said getting that the plan was to let him bleed to death. It wasn't going to be a quick or painless death. That thought was confirmed when Jason tied a handkerchief above the wound. Tight enough to slow the flow of blood, but not stop it. Which meant death was going to take even longer.

"Gag him." Jason said stripping off his gloves. He was going to watch the life fade from Luke's eyes, but listening to the asshole wasn't going to happen.

It took two of them because Luke wouldn't open his mouth but they got the gag in place. With that done Jason went to stand with his guys. "Carlos Rivera called and extended thanks on behalf of his bosses." Francis was leaning against the wall. "He also said that you are welcome to come visit the country anytime you like."

"I don't see that happening. I have no interest in having any type of relationship with any members of the Cartel." Jason responded momentarily taking his eyes off of Spencer. "Send them some coffee as thanks for allowing us to operate on their soil." This was basically like sending a gift basket to someone you occasionally did business with. Maximus and Manny were the only points of connection to the any of the organizations outside the Costa Nostra that Jason needed. "Anything else I need to know?"

"Logan took a job. He left for Pennsylvania this morning." Johnny didn't know what his friend was doing. Hayes was a freelancer but he only took jobs from certain families. All of whom were on good terms with Jason. "He expects to be gone for no longer than a week. With Cooper here if we need anything urgently that should not be a problem."

Jason just nodded knowing that Logan was looking into Skye's background. Honestly the answers might come faster from a source here in Port Charles. Alan or Edward would have the answers, but getting them to talk would be difficult. So Jason was going to go around them. "Anything else?"

"I put a request for two personal days on your desk." Renaldo had been waiting to share this. "For next Friday and Saturday."

"Everything okay?" Jason asked checking in. He didn't mind his enforcer taking a day off. Generally personal and vacation days were only taken when the guys wanted to make sure they wouldn't be called into work.

"I'm taking Nadine out to dinner." Renaldo said with a grin. He wanted to be free the day after their date in case she stayed over.

"Congratulations." Jason knew that Nadine had asked for Friday off as well, but Elizabeth hadn't said why. His wife would consider that gossiping because it involved their friends' personal lives. "Have fun."

"We will." Renaldo assured his boss. "I'm looking forward to it. She's special and I'm amazed that she is even giving me her time."

"We all know that feeling." Cody said as the guys nodded their agreement. "I still look at Skye and wonder how I managed to get her heart. "

"We wonder that too, if it makes you feel any better." Johnny said with a wicked grin. "I can hardly sleep at night pondering that one."

"Asshole." Cody said shoving his friend.

"Speaking of Skye, I heard Diane on the phone the other night talking with Emily. Planning for the shower has started. We are not invited, but my wife has suggested we plan something for Cody." Francis looked at the former solider. "So suggestions are welcome. Otherwise we are just gonna end up hanging out at Jake's while the ladies are at Emily's house."

"We can hang out at the penthouse until it's time to go haul all the items to Cody's place." Jason offered to host. The odds were good the event would be on a Saturday or Sunday. If they went to Jake's they wouldn't be able to watch sports because the bar didn't have any televisions.

"Pot luck?" Johnny wanted to know.

"I'll order in." Jason would get all the unhealthy stuff that the guys liked to eat. From the corner of his eye he checked on Luke. The older man's color was off and his breathing was choppy. He wasn't done yet, so Jason stayed where he was.

"Are we getting together tomorrow after the planting of the tree for Brenda?" Johnny had seen his friend yesterday. She was grabbing the mail as he was going out to for an early evening meeting. She looked better than when he had last seen her, on the day she confronted her brother.

"No." Jason shook his head as he answered. "We'll be going home to have quiet night in because her parents are arriving the day after tomorrow.

"How come Liz isn't doing the memorial then?" Cody asked his boss. "They were close to Brenda." He looked over at Luke who was slumped over but still breathing.

"Carolyn doesn't do well with death. The visit is going to be tense enough, pushing the fact that someone she thought of as a surrogate daughter is dead won't help things." Jason told them what Elizabeth had told him. "Before you ask, no the Webbers don't know what part Steven played in Brenda's death. I don't expect they will ever find out. If they do it won't be from Elizabeth." Eddie had confirmed that it had been Luke who gave the order to kill the model and not the Balkan.

As Jason finished talking Luke slumped further the side which caused the chair to tip over sending him to the floor. "I'll go check." Renaldo pushed off the wall and went over to look for a pulse. "He's done. I'll supervise clean up." Cody was already sending a message to the crew.

Jason straightened up as well. "I'm heading home."

"I'll follow you." Johnny was ready to call it a night. He got out his phone and sent a message to his girl's guard to see if she was ready to leave the hospital. Gia had been called in for an emergency consult. "See you guys tomorrow." The offices were closed because they were all going to the tree planting.

"See you then." Francis would head out shortly.

"Night." Cody would wait with Renaldo. The crew would be busy and from his time as an enforcer the former solider knew it was nice to have someone to chat with. "See you tomorrow." When they left he turned to his friends. "Are they going away?"

"No clue." Francis told the guys. "I'm thinking we'll hear something tomorrow."

Both Renaldo and Cody nodded as the crew came in and got to work.

* * *

Jason knew as soon as he walked into the penthouse that his family was out. Considering the late hour that was surprising. He opened the door and Tim turned to see what was needed. Jason looked at his phone and didn't see any message so he addressed the guard. "Where is my wife?"

"Next door." Tim pointed toward the studio.

"Thanks." Jason said as he walked over to the other door which also had a guard on it. Elizabeth said it wasn't necessary to have someone there around the clock. His response was that he wanted to make sure her work was protected. So the guard stayed. Gary was on the door and he opened it for his boss.

Walking inside Jason realized that this was his first time over and he knew squat about the set up. He was guessing the ladies worked on the second floor so he took the stairs two at a time. The light under the door had him heading towards what would normally be the master bedroom.

Liz heard the footsteps on the stairs and swiveled her stool to face the door. Having Michael with her kept her from fully immersing herself in her work, but she still was getting things done. "Hey."

"Hey." Jason walked over and gave her a kiss. "Couldn't sleep?"

"Nope." Liz reached for a wipe to clean her hands. "Michael agreed to come hang out with me, so we came over." Looking at the clock she saw that they had been here a couple of hours now. "You in for the night?" She watched him walked over and adjust the baby's blanket.

"I am. We are done with this." Jason let her know.

"Thank you." Liz turned and put away her pencils. She needed to know that. "Once Steven is gone things will calm down."

"Maybe not." Jason watched her put everything away. "There might be another issue with my family."

"Seriously?" Liz paused and looked at them. "Can they not give us a week of peace?"

"No." Jason said with a smirk.

"What are we bracing for now?" Liz put her panels in her safe. The first issue of her new series was done. She would do a read through on the next day she was in the studio.

"Cody is looking into whether or not Alan knew what Edward did to Skye." Jason picked up the carrier and stepped out into the hall so Elizabeth could turn off the lights.

"Why does he think that?" Liz was hoping for Skye's sake this wasn't true.

"Skye is worried about it." Jason said as they stepped out into the hall. He watched her lock up and they went home.

* * *

They were in the nursery when Liz spoke again. "I was hoping that this was just something he wanted to know. Cody still doesn't trust Alan, and I can understand why." She paused briefly. "Will you tell Emily if your dad was involved?"

"No." Jason was changing his son's diaper. Once done he put the little boy in his crib. "However, I can guarantee it's going to get out. Things never stay buried in this family. So it will be best if Alan was not involved."

"What do you think, what is your gut telling you?" Liz wanted to know.

Jason walked over to where she was standing. They stood there for a moment watching their son sleep. "I'm almost positive that Alan told Edward about the baby. Otherwise the old man would've had to have been spying on his son to learn about Skye first. I don't see Edward taking that much interest in his son, especially since Alan wasn't involved in ELQ."

"Your father has maintained that he didn't know Skye existed until she showed up here." Liz said quietly.

"Spinning lies is second nature to Alan. His affairs alone would have taught him how to master that skill." Jason was still watching his son. "I think the reason he pushed so hard for her to leave was because he was worried that just how many lies he told would come to light. I'm not sure how involved he was with what happened back then. If I had to guess I would say he told Edward so that cleanup could take place. With Rae no longer living the secret should have stayed buried."

"The hits just keep coming with our families." Liz just leaned into him. "Wait." She said looking up at him. "If Edward knows the secret is out why wouldn't he warn Alan that the gig was up?"

Jason smirked. "Things don't work like that with the Quartermaines. Alan didn't back Edward's custody demands so Edward will let his son hang. In fact if Alan is involved the old man will probably say this was all my father's idea. Proving who actually set all this in motion is probably going to be impossible. We do know that Edward is the one who set up the deal with the Chandlers."

"When are you going to go talk to your father?" Liz could read her husband like a book. She also knew he wasn't going to just wait for the other shoe, hopefully the final shoe, to drop.

"When you are getting your parents settled. I'll take Cody with me." Jason was going to get an answer, and it was going to be the truth. "That way I can keep him out of jail. Let's go to bed." They had an emotional day ahead of them tomorrow.

"Okay." Liz would wait to see what go unearthed, and offer her sister whatever support she needed.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	74. Chapter 74

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

Not Safe For Work

* * *

Chapter 74

"Good morning." Jason opened his eyes and the first thing he saw was the top of his wife's head. At the moment she was using her very soft lips to kiss her way down his chest. If he was asked what would be one of the best ways to wake up this feeling right now would be near the top of the list. With all that was going on sex had been the last thing on either one of their minds, but it looked like his girl was ready to be together again. He had no problem with that, the fact that he was hard as stone would clue her into that.

"Hmm." Liz hummed against his abs which made the muscles jump. She woke up with an urgent need to have him. It was a need that she knew Jason would not object to her indulging.

Over the past few days she had been taking in, and dealing with, all the things that had happened. Learning who killed her friends, Grandmother being rushed to the hospital, Steven's arrival, losing Brenda, and then finding out what Steven was planning. It had just been a whirlwind of events and emotions. To say she had been thrown off balance would be an understatement. She was still working on finding her footing. However she wasn't going to hide from life while doing so. Especially not the good parts. No, the great parts. She wanted to be happy and this was the perfect way to embrace that.

His wife was still moving south. Before he could get his brain working enough to say anything she kissed the tip of his cock, and then slid her lips over the sensitive flesh. "Uhhh." He literally couldn't form words it felt so good. Apparently Elizabeth wasn't in any rush this morning because she was moving slowly as she pulled her mouth up until her lips were ringing the crown of his shaft and then just as slowly moved back down. With each stroke she took more of him in until she couldn't take anymore.

One hand was holding his shaft as she drew out the pleasure. The other hand was on his hip and she could feel that he was trembling. At the moment she just moving her lips over him, but in a few minutes she would add some suction and her husband would no doubt start trembling harder. After a few more slow strokes of her lips over his sensitive flesh she put that plan into motion and got the reaction she expected.

"Baby." Jason groaned deep in his chest. He was sweating and was holding onto control with all his might. It was too good to let end. This was a test of his will against hers and he was pretty sure he was going to lose. Considering how amazing he was going to feel when he finally gave into her ministrations, the loss was going to be the best of his life.

Elizabeth loved giving Jason so much pleasure, she loved taking him to a place where he couldn't hide how much he was feeling. Where he was simply stripped raw of everything but what she gave to him. His joy fed hers and at the moment she was aching to feel him deep inside her. Still she wasn't ready to move from this spot. His flavor exploded on her tongue as another drop pre cum leaked from the tip and she hummed which had her husband shouting as he moved closer to the breaking point.

"FUCK!" Jason couldn't contain the shout if he wanted to. That humming sent a vibration through his already sensitive cock and he could feel his release pushing down on him. "Stop." He said tugging her hair as gently as he could.

She let him slip from between her lips because stop and the word no had to be respected when they were in bed together. She looked up the length of his body and smiled at him. Jason was breathing like he had just finished a workout downstairs. "Need a minute?" She asked with a saucy smile.

"You're going to kill me." Jason said on a breathless chuckle. "Come here." When she was closer he put his hand behind her head to urge her mouth down to his. As he kissed her he rolled them so that she was on her back. Sinking into her tight channel would feel amazing. He could pump them both to pleasure, but if he did then the things would end quickly. So he needed to move back from the edge some. When he released her lips he let his skim over her neck as his fingers worked on the buttons down the front of her night shirt. He needed to get to skin and the material was in the way.

Her beautiful breasts came into view and he didn't hesitate to take one and then the other into the heat of his mouth. Sucking strong enough to make her body buck beneath his and make her skin flush pink. That wasn't enough for him. He wanted to take her as high as possible so they could fall together. There was one surefire way to assure that.

Pushing her shirt open wider he moved until he was between her legs. Her deep blue eyes were looking down her body right into his and he gave her a wicked smile before taking a lick. When she whimpered Jason repeated the motion which made her start panting. She was almost where he needed her to be so he bent to his task.

"Jason!" Liz was thrashing on the bed because what he was doing felt too good for her to stay still. Her fingers were tangled in the sheet and when the pleasure spiked she pulled the cotton so hard it came off the mattress. The pleasure was almost painful it was so intense. Every time that talented tongue of his took a taste she could feel it all over her body. Just as she reached the point of no return her husband moved until he was braced over her. Laying there breathing hard she looked up into his face and the love she felt for him moved through her. "I can't wait anymore." She said softly.

"Me either." Jason shifted his body so that they were lined up. He was so hard he was starting to hurt and only Elizabeth would make that go away. Until she made it come back again. Getting enough of her, of joining his body to hers never was going to happen. He would always need her, need what they created together. "I love you." He had lost count of the number of times he had said that to her, but it wasn't enough.

"I love you too. Always." Liz said reaching up and gently cupping his cheek. "Let me feel you moving inside me. Fill me up with your love."

Unable to deny that request Jason gently joined them. He let the feeling of coming home settle over him before he began to stroke taking them both to a place where they were only defined by their love.

* * *

"You okay?" Jason was lying on his back and his girl had her head on his shoulder. It took a while but he finally got his breathing back to normal. When it did he got them both drinks from the mini fridge in the corner. Now he was just enjoying being able to relax and feel his wife's skin against his.

"I'm fantastic. I have missed feeling so close to you." Liz said kissing his shoulder lifting her head to kiss his shoulder before settling against him again. "Thank you for being patient with me the last few days."

"What do you mean?" Jason asked confused.

"I feel like I've been ignoring you." Liz explained looking up at him.

"You haven't." Jason cleared that up right away. "We've been on a roller coaster since we got called into court. If you've been ignoring me, then I can say that I've been ignoring you while I dealt with the Spencers. At no point did I feel neglected or that we weren't a unit." He placed his lips against the top of her head. "I've known through all this that you were always with me."

"Thank you, I needed to hear that." Liz had been feeling a little guilty.

"Take as much time as you need. I'm not going anywhere." Jason urged her closer. "Would you like to go to island for a long weekend. We can take the kid and just go hang out. We can go next weekend."

"Who would we take with us?" Liz wanted to know.

"Marco and Rory. We can leave Nadine here. I want some time with both of you. I'd also like to have a date night soon." Jason was enjoying this quiet time planning things.

"I'm looking forward to thing settling down and us getting a chance to figure out what our normal is." Liz picked up the conversation. "We haven't had much calm since Michael arrived. I'm glad he doesn't know what is going on around him. I dread having to explain it when he gets older." Living here meant there was a chance someone might bring it up at some point.

"We only have to explain what my family did." Jason tried to spin it in a positive way. "What Steven did never became public."

"I may have to address why I don't talk to my brother." Liz said softly. "We'll deal with those things if they pop up." Dwelling on them now would just bring her down, and today would be hard enough.

"My generation of the family is not into drama." Jason let the topic of Steven go. "Which will help going forward." There shouldn't be another dustup in the family like this one ever again.

Liz raised her head and looked at the clock. Michael would be up soon. "I'm going to grab a shower, and when the kid gets up I'll be ready to go get him. When I'm done you can get clean." Liz said sitting up.

"I can't join you?" Jason asked with a mischievous grin.

"If we had more time you could." Liz gave him a quick kiss. "You are on breakfast duty."

"I'll call in an order to be picked up." Jason wasn't going to cook because he wanted to spoil her.

"Okay." Liz gave him another kiss and went to get her shower.

* * *

"You look beautiful." Jason was standing at the bottom of the stairs waiting for her to come down. "Is that new?"

"It is. I went shopping online for something to wear. When I saw this I bought it and had it picked up." Liz ran a hand down the garment. The fitted black silk dress had a lace overlay and cap sleeves. It was something you would normally see at a cocktail party, as opposed to a memorial tree planting however it the perfect choice for today. "It's from one of Brenda's favorite fashion houses and one that she did a photo spread for. She was hoping that it would lead to them offering her a contract but it didn't come about. She still loved the clothes. It seemed like an appropriate tribute. She would have hated the shoes though." Liz said with a small laugh.

Jason looked at her feet. "What's wrong with them?"

She stuck out her foot which was clad in a black platform sandal. "Brenda didn't believe in chunky heels. She only wore stilettos. Since I'll be walking across grass ice pick heels won't cut it. I don't want to twist my ankle sinking into the ground."

"I like your shoes." He said leaning forward and giving her a kiss. "Michael is downstairs with Nadine." They would pick him up on the way back to the penthouse. He was about to say they could leave whenever she was ready when the phone rang. "Hello."

"Hi Jason. It's Felix, I was calling to check on Liz." The publicist had called several times already because he couldn't fly to New York to comfort his friend. He knew what was happening today.

"Hold on." Jason held out the phone. "Felix"

"Hi." Liz put as much pep into her voice as she could.

"How are you?" Felix wanted an honest answer which she would know.

"Coping." Liz said sitting on the arm of the chair. "I look amazing though."

"That is all that would matter to Brenda." Felix said with a sad smile. "Who are you wearing?" Liz named the designer. "She loved them, but she still said a lot of really bad words when she didn't land that campaign." He shared a memory.

"I know. She called me in the middle of the night to vent." Liz had fallen asleep during the conversation which sent Brenda off on a rant about the fact that no one really cared about her pain. Liz responded by hanging up. Later that day the model called and apologized. It was a perfect example of life with Brenda.

"That was classic Brenda." Felix said echoing his client's thoughts. "Are you coming out to relax?" He could check on her in person then.

"We are going to the island that Jason owns for a long weekend." Liz explained.

"He owns an island?" Felix didn't know that. "Okay then. He just gets better and better."

Liz made a mental note to offer Felix a trip to the resort, maybe for his birthday. Figuring out what to get him was always hard. "He is pretty awesome. I need to go." There was a timeline, and she wanted to stick to it.

"Call me if you need me. I'll be in Paris later in the week." Felix said wrapping up their chat. He was attending the funeral.

"I will. Thanks Felix." Liz said hanging up. "Okay, let's go." She wanted to do this so she could come back home and hide until tomorrow when her parents arrived.

* * *

"Do you have a second before we get started?" Jason asked his cousin.

"Sure, what did you need?" Justus had come out to show support from the family. Emily and Skye were here too.

"I need you to pull some paperwork for me." Jason thought this was a good place to start looking for answers. "Concerning ELQ before I took it over."

"Okay." Justus had files going back decades on the company. He nodded when Jason mentioned what he was looking for. "That shouldn't be a problem. Give me a day."

"Thanks." Jason ended the conversation as Elizabeth walked over. "Are we ready to start?"

"We are." She said linking their fingers.

* * *

They watched as the worker from the city shoveled dirt into the hole that had been dug the day before. Liz selected a Weeping Willow. It would grow well in the climate and on summer days would provide shade to anyone sitting under it. She didn't want another Oak which is what they had selected for AJ and Carly.

"Thank you." Elizabeth said to the man who planted the tree. Turning she faced her friends who had come out. Not a single one of them actually liked Brenda, but they hadn't hesitated to be here for this. Liz couldn't help but feel loved.

"Thanks for coming everyone. I'll keep this brief." She said pausing to clear her throat. "I've known Brenda since I was six. She walked up to Sarah and I when we were playing in the park and announced that we were going to be her friends. Sarah got the distinction of being the best friend because she was the prettiest, but Brenda said I could hang out too. As long as I did what they told me too." Liz said laughing. "That was the first clue I got that Brenda considered herself the princess of it all. I know a lot of people saw the side of her that was a bit self-absorbed, but she could be a good friend when it was called for. She was by my side when I lost Sarah. When I needed to get away from the mess my family had become Brenda didn't hesitate to open her house to me."

Liz looked over at the tree that had just been planted. "Over the years we had our ups and downs. We had some major fights, but we always forgave each other. The last words we said to one another were not the kind ones you would hope you might say to someone before they die. I have to live with that. I also have to live with the fact that I don't regret the words I said. Brenda and I were always honest with one another, even when it hurt. I'll miss that, and I'll miss her." With nothing else to say Liz walked back over to where Jason was standing so that they could observe a moment of silence.

Diane was the first to come over. "Let us know if you need anything." The attorney said giving her friend a hug.

"Thanks, and thank you for getting the permit for the tree." Liz said before getting a hug from Francis too.

Gia and Johnny came over next. "We got you a memorial candle." The doctor said handing the box to Jason.

"Thanks." Liz got hugs from both her friends.

Georgie walked over with Milo. "It's going to be beautiful here when the tree starts to get bigger."

"I think so too. Brenda hated nature." Liz said laughing. "She probably would have preferred a statue."

"There's still time." Georgie said smiling at her friend. "I'm sure there is the perfect place somewhere in the park for one."

Liz just laughed again. It felt good to do so. "Jason is having a bench put in. Her name will be on a small plaque which will be on the back. That will have to do." She would come and sit here from time to time. Looking over she saw her guy talking with Emily. She smiled and he looked over and smiled back at her. "Thanks for coming."

"Anytime." Georgie said giving her friend another hug.

Liz walked over to where her husband and sisters were standing. They were going back to the penthouse for a short visit with Michael, and once everyone else left it would just be the Morgans. Elizabeth was very much looking forward to that.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	75. Chapter 75

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 75

She was back at the airport, meeting more family members. Hopefully this reunion would go better than the last time. It wasn't going to be great considering why her parents were in Port Charles, however she was hoping for a few happy moments. Since Michael was going to be a part of their stay she was expecting that wish to come about.

"There they are." Marco had a better vantage point due to his height. Elizabeth bore a strong resemblance to her mother so the Webbers were easy to spot, the main difference between the two women was their hair color. "Your mom is short too." He said with a grin.

"The guys are the only tall ones in the family. Except for Sarah. She was pretty tall." Liz's father was adopted so they didn't know his genetic history. Sarah probably just got lucky in the family lottery and got her height from him. "Hi!" Liz could finally see them and started waving. Her eyes started burning and by the time her mother wrapped her up in a hug she was crying.

"Hi sweetheart." Carolyn was squeezing her daughter tight. The flight over had been hard on her nerves. This was the first time she was back on US soil since they moved. However knowing that Libby would be waiting made Carolyn push through.

"Hi mom." Liz said not releasing her mother.

Since it was clear his girls weren't letting go Jeff just wrapped his arms around both of them. "Hi sweetie."

"Hi daddy." Liz leaned her head on his shoulder. It felt really good to be with her parents.

"Why don't we get going so we aren't just standing around in the airport?" Jeff noted the large man not too far from his daughter. He was guessing that was a bodyguard. He didn't know if she had one all the time, or if this was because of Steven. Nor did he have the right to speak on it. His daughter was an adult. One who knew her own mind and made her own choices. He respected that. If asked though he would admit to hoping she had protection all the time. After losing Sarah, nightmares of losing Libby had plagued him for years.

"Okay." Liz took the handkerchief that Marco was holding out. "This is Marco." She said introducing him to her parents.

"Hello." The guard would fade into the background as much as possible, but it was hard to ignore that he was around.

"Hello." Carolyn smiled over at him. She still had an arm around her daughter because she wanted her close. This feeling right here let her know that they needed to have more visits going forward. Instead of just waiting for Libby to come see them, from here on out they would be making the effort to fly to Port Charles at least once a year.

"Do you have more luggage?" Liz saw that they both had carry on bags.

"No." Carolyn answered as they started walking. "Your dad has all our personal items in his bag." The visit was only going to be overnight. She wanted to get Steven away from his sister as soon as possible so that Libby could relax. "In my bag I have as many items for Michael as I could fit without exceeding the weight limit." Carolyn stated without the least amount of shame.

"I see a troubling pattern forming." Liz said being smart.

"I hope you have a lot of space." Jeff joked walking on the other side of his daughter. "Your mother has made a list of everything she wants to get. A really long list."

"I'm a grandmother, it's my job to spoil the baby." Carolyn took that job seriously, especially since she wasn't sure what role Jason's mother was playing. "Will I get to meet my son in-law during this trip?"

They were at the car and Marco opened the backdoor. Carolyn slid in followed by Liz, and then Jeff. The guard got in the front with Gary who had been watching the SUV.

"Yes. He is dealing with some family stuff of his own at the moment. He'll join us for dinner." Liz explained his absence. "He also wanted to give us a little time together, so that I can get you settled. We have a nice apartment waiting for you. When you come up to the penthouse I'll show you some pictures of the house we are having built."

"That sounds exciting. It makes me feel good that you have found a place to be happy." Carolyn said squeezing her daughter's hand before looking out the window. "Port Charles is lovely." She had worried when Libby moved here from California, but her daughter said it was the right thing to do. Clearly she had been correct.

"It is. I guess I'm a small town girl at heart." Liz said nodding. She was proud of her adopted home. "It also gets a lot of snow in the winter. I think that pretty much sealed the deal." The first snowfall of the year always made her think of her sister.

"That's a good time to go to California for a break." Jeff and Sarah were the ones in the family who enjoyed cold weather.

"You would think that, but I almost always go in the summer." Liz said with a sad smile. Her first trip out to the west coast was going to be bittersweet. "Next week we are going away for a few days. Jason owns a private island."

"Nice." Carolyn could feel that her daughter was sad. Hopefully when her brother left that mood would lift.

Jeff rubbed his daughter's back. He probably should have not brought up California. From this point forward he would avoid anything that reminded Libby of Brenda. The visit was going to be hard enough on his daughter without them constantly bringing up her recent loss.

"This is home." Liz said as they pulled into the garage and shaking off her mood. "I'll take you upstairs and give you a chance to get freshened up. You can call me when you are ready to meet Michael."

"We won't be long." Carolyn promised as they got out of the SUV.

* * *

Jason walked into the mansion through the front door. Before coming over he had called to make sure his grandmother was out. Reginald said that Lila was at the arboretum for a meeting and wouldn't be back for a few hours. Jason was alone because Cody admitted that he might be tempted to draw blood so he was staying at home with his girl. She was worried he was going to end up getting arrested, because Edward would not hesitate to call the cops. So to keep her blood pressure down Jason was here on his own. Cody and Skye would confront Edward when they were ready. Probably after the baby came because she didn't need the stress. The information Justus found put an entirely new spin on what they already knew. Not in a good way.

"Where is he?" Jason asked the butler.

"In the parlor." Reginald wondered what Edward had done now.

"Alan will be home shortly. Please send him in to join us." Jason requested before moving off.

The butler didn't say a word as he closed the front door. He would just wait to see if an ambulance was needed.

"Edward." Jason was pissed but not showing it. "Sit down." It was not a request, and the older man did as instructed quicker than at their last meeting. When he was seated Jason sat as well. Edward wasn't showing any of his normal bravado, if he kept that attitude up it might just save his life.

"What do you want?" Edward demanded not bothering to hide his annoyance. He hated retirement, but had wizened up enough to know that this was his only option. Being summoned by his grandson worsened the already sour mood he was in.

Jason put the papers that he had carried into the mansion on the coffee table. "You lied about when you took control of Alan's stocks."

"There wasn't anything illegal about the deal." Edward was surprised his grandson was bringing this up, but wasn't going to give anything away.

"The deal itself no. It was a straight forward transaction between the two of you. What makes it interesting is the date in question. It's a week before Skye's first set of adoptive parents were told she was dead. Alan asked you to make her go away, and he paid you with his ELQ stocks. Or you blackmailed him into signing them over." Jason's eyes bored into the darker ones of the older man. "Either way it makes his lie about not having a daughter that much worse. He knew about Skye, if not from the beginning, then from early on in her life."

"His marriage was already in trouble. An illegitimate baby would have destroyed it." Edward wasn't going to lie since he was caught. He owed nothing to Alan considering his son turned on him where Michael was concerned.

Jason was silent for a moment. "If that was the reason you did it, then that might prove you once had a heart where that black hole in your chest is. But that isn't why you agreed to help him. Skye had to go away because Alan and Monica didn't have a prenup. She would have taken him for everything he owned, including his stock. You couldn't have the books for the company being reviewed because of the mess that Tracy had created. You sold Skye to protect ELQ. You must have been really pissed when I showed up. Alan clearly didn't learn a damn thing." Jason said with a smirk. "All that work for nothing. Of course by the time I arrived they had divorced and remarried with a prenup, so you didn't have to make me go away."

"You have amazed me yet again. I thought you were damaged, but that isn't true at all. What you are is ruthless." Edward said shaking his head. The heir he had been looking for was under his nose the entire time.

"You don't come after my family." Jason said point blank.

"I'm your family." Edward pointed out.

"No, you're not. We're tied together by DNA, but there is no emotion other than contempt between us." The blonde mobster shot back. "Skye is my family."

"What will you take from me this time? I don't have anything left." Edward said with a sneer. "Or will you use this information to finally make your grandmother hate me. Are you going to show her the monster I really am?"

Jason gave the older man a cold smile. "I have a use for you Edward. Once that is fulfilled then what happens to you is up to Skye."

Alan chose that moment to walk into the parlor. Seeing his son and his father together threw him for a moment. "Jason you wanted to see me?"

"Have a seat. Next to Edward." Jason pointed to the other wing chair. "It has come to light that you set in motion Skye being taken from the couple that adopted her after she was born." Guilt washed over Alan. "The date on your ELQ transfer papers gave the two of you away. Although saying you lost your stock because you chose medicine over business was a good lie. Keeping it simple is always best."

"What are you going to do with the information?" Alan wanted to know. He was guilty of human trafficking. Even though at the moment the evidence was circumstantial his son would find a way to make the charges stick if he wanted to.

"If you mean am I going to tell Skye? She already knows. We talked about what I planned this morning, and she gave me her full support." Jason leaned back in his chair and looked at the two men on the other side of the table. "You, Alan, are going to step down as Chief of Staff at General Hospital. I don't care what excuse you use, but if you are still in that position in three weeks this information will be leaked to the press. No later than three weeks after that you are to leave Port Charles. Skye says this is her home, which means it can't be yours." Jason told the surgeon.

"What am I supposed to tell your mother?" Alan asked shocked.

"Don't care. I would suggest the truth, but I don't see you going that route. I mean why start now." He said sarcastically. "With your connections in the medical world I'm sure you can get a placement quickly. Stay out of California." He warned his father.

"And me?" Edward didn't see Jason banishing him, only because of Lila. While their marriage was in trouble, it wasn't over.

"When Alan steps down there will be a vote to replace him. You are going to recuse yourself from it. You will not be using your influence to give Monica the job." Jason shifted his gaze.

"Punishing Monica isn't fair." Alan told his son.

Jason looked between the two of them. "If she has earned the job then she will get it. What won't happen is her riding on Edward's coattails. Everyone knows he is why you both have the positions you do. Once the vote is done then Edward will step down from the board. The era of nepotism is over." That boardroom was the only place left the old man had any real power and it was being stripped from him. "Jax will be replacing you." Which would be salt in a raw wound.

"If she gets the job she will want to stay in Port Charles." Alan was feeling boxed in.

"Do you want me to feel sorry for you, because it won't happen?" Jason just shook his head as he spoke. "You are lucky to not be in handcuffs." Their was no statute of limitations on this crime, so both men could still go to prison. "And breathing. If that had been Skye's choice, and yes it was an option, then I wouldn't have hesitated to give the order. You played God with her life. You took her from people who loved her and sold her." Jason couldn't even wrap his brain around the amount of ego that took.

"She was loved. I made sure she went to a home where she would be well cared for." Edward pointed out.

"For that you need to get down on your knees and give thanks. If anything had happened to her nothing would have saved either one of you." He watched as fear came into both their eyes. Jason got to his feet because this meeting was over. "Three weeks." He said looking at Alan. "Do not make me have to come back and remind you." It was a straight up threat. "Once you leave do not return unless you have Skye's permission to do so." He turned his eyes to Edward. "This is the last conversation like this we will have." Jason warned before gathering up his paperwork and walking out of the room.

"You said this would never come to light." Alan immediately turned on his father.

"If you had done a better job with AJ we wouldn't be here now. Him driving Jason into that tree created the man who destroyed us both." Edward got to his feet. "All of this can be laid at your feet." He said before storming from the room. They had no choice but to follow instructions. Edward really believed that Jason would kill them both.

Alone Alan sank back into the chair. He did have a lot of contacts, and it looked like it was time to tap some. It shouldn't be hard to find placements for him and Monica in a prestigious hospital, either in the states or overseas.

* * *

"How is Skye?" Jason called from the car because he wanted to check in on his sister, who was working from home today.

"Okay. Honestly I think knowing the truth is going to relax her." Cody was making her tea. After Jason left she had a good cry, and then said it was the last time she was going to do so over this. For now she decided to push this aside, saying their baby didn't need the stress. Her strength amazed him.

"If she needs anything give a call." Jason knew that Cody was aware that he could reach out whenever he needed to. Skye's circle of support was smaller than normal at the moment because she was determined to protect Emily. "How are you?" Jason wanted to know.

"As long as Skye is okay, then so am I. A get together in a few days would be a good idea. By the way, your in-laws have landed." Cody said trying not to smirk. "Good luck with that. You can't do any worse than I have."

"Steven came to kidnap my son, so don't start thinking you've won just yet." Jason had a smirk of his own on his face. "You won't have to deal with my parents for much longer. Alan will make it so that Monica wants to leave with him."

"He'd sabotage her shot at the top job?" Cody didn't know why he was surprised. "It never ends with them does it?"

"Nope, and you haven't even met Tracy. Pray that never changes." Jason said giving into the laughter. He was positive Alan was going to do something to tank Monica's changes at the Chief of Staff job. Why should he suffer alone. "I'm home, I'll check in tomorrow."

"Thanks for the time off." Cody had been told to focus on his wife. Since she was working he was making use of his home office as well.

"We take care of each other." Was Jason's reply. "Bye." He ended the call so he could see how his girl was doing.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	76. Chapter 76

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 76

"Come in." Liz opened the door to her parents. "Welcome to our home."

"It's lovely." Carolyn looked around the great room taking in the décor. This seemed like a place that Libby would be comfortable. "The apartment downstairs is also lovely. This is Jason's building correct?" Carolyn thought that was what she remembered reading.

"It is." Liz closed the door behind them. "I find it to be funny that this is the only place in Port Charles I've ever live. So far anyway. Most of my friends have moved multiple times by this point in their lives."

"The building seems to have everything you might need." Jeff walked over to the window and took in the view. "If it works then why make a change." He was also thinking that she had enough moving as a child to not want to do it as an adult. "I like knowing that you are living somewhere so safe."

"Me too." Carolyn also liked that Jason took Libby's personal safety so seriously. "So where is my grandson?"

"You lasted longer than I thought." Liz said laughing. "He is on his way back to the building. Nadine took him out for a stroll."

"How is your nanny working out?" Carolyn took a seat and told herself to be patient.

"From Norland?" Jeff also sat down.

"She's really been great." Liz nodded to answer her dad's question. "Not only with Michael, but with Jason and I as well. In the beginning she helped us to get over some serious nerves. Having a baby dropped in your lap is rather terrifying." Her parents would understand some of what she and Jason were feeling. What would escape them would be the feeling of instantly becoming parents. They had time to prep for her, Sarah, and Steven.

"It sounds like you are doing a great job so far." Carolyn said complimenting her daughter. "Parents make mistakes. Both your father and I know that first hand." Guilt over the Steven situation was still pressing down on her. She could add it to the guilt that never left over Sarah's death. What Carolyn was holding onto was that both Libby and Steven were still alive so there was time to do better.

"We will still make mistakes." Jeff covered his wife's hand. "Carrie and I are going to learn from them. It took us entirely too long to come to that decision." They had been talking almost non-stop about Steven since Jason's call. Making a plan for how things would be once they return to Germany. It was going to be hard in the beginning, they knew that, but giving up on their son was not going to be an option any longer.

Liz just watched her parents as they talked. She could definitely see a difference in their attitude where Steven was concerned. They were committed to him in a way that they hadn't been since before Sarah's death. So if nothing else good came from what her brother came here to do, his relationship with their parents was being restored. Not that she thought this would be an easy or quick process. Her parents had no idea who their son was now, and they would need to learn that before anything else could take place.

The door opened and she smiled. "Mom and dad, this is Nadine." Liz said getting to her feet to make introductions. "Nadine these are my parents Jeff and Carolyn."

"Hello." Nadine smiled at the older couple. She could see bits of Liz in both of them. "We went to the farmer's market. I grabbed you guys some apples because the basket is empty."

"Thanks." Liz would make sure Nadine got her money back.

"Michael is due for a bottle and I changed him before we left about forty-five minutes ago." Nadine reported as she reached into the lowest basket to grab her groceries. "I'm around if you need me."

"We'll be in for the rest of the night, but thanks." Liz said walking Nadine to the door. "Call Renaldo and tell him you're free." She leaned forward and whispered with a grin.

"I can't ignore an order from my boss can I?" Nadine said laughing. "Have a good night."

"Night." Liz closed the door and walked over to where Michael was lying down. "Hey sweetie." She pushed the cover back and undid the straps. "I have some exciting news. Your grandparents are here from Germany to meet you." He was cradled in her arms when she turned to face her parents. Her dad was using anti-bacterial gel to clean his hands, and her mom was already in tears. "You guys can pick your own names." Sitting down she passed her son to her mother.

"He's so beautiful." Carolyn said rocking the baby. "I'm sorry that you lost your friends." Jeff had explained about the murders when they were discussing Steven's move to Germany.

"Does he look like Jason's brother?" Jeff was looking over his wife's shoulder. He had come to the realization that he was enabling Carrie by shielding her from the painful parts of life. People died, sometimes when they were young. It was tragic but it was part of life. Carolyn couldn't be protected from that.

"Kind of. At the moment I see more of Carly in him. His eye color though is from his dad. Jason also shares that color." Liz explained to her parents.

"It is stunning." Carolyn was still rocking the baby who was looking up at her. "He's doing well?"

"Yes. He was born with a hereditary heart defect but it was corrected right after birth, and his doctors here are pleased with what they've seen." Liz got out her phone to snap some pictures. She wanted a memento of this moment. She would take more when her dad was holding Michael.

"Can I ask who his doctors are? Tell me to butt out if you want." Jeff wasn't going to micromanage their work. He was not a pediatric specialist. What he did know was that Port Charles had some of the best and brightest doctors in their fields.

"Dr. Eve Lambert is his pediatrician. Dr. Rachel Adair is his pediatric cardiologist. Dr. Gia Campbell is the cardio thoracic surgeon assigned to the team should we need one." Liz went down the list.

"I've heard of every one of them." Jeff smiled at his daughter and then his wife. "Michael has a team of rock stars. I just read a paper by Dr. Campbell outlining a new procedure she has created. I'm hoping that during a later visit I can watch her work."

"Let me know when and I'll put the two of you in touch. We are also friends. She is dating one of Jason's best friends, and colleagues." Liz just waited to see if either one of her parents wanted to touch on Jason's career choice, but they let the moment go. "Let me fix Michael a bottle. The two of you can argue over who gets to feed him." She said before moving off to the kitchen.

* * *

"She's going to be an amazing mom." Carolyn reluctantly handed the soft child to her husband.

"She will." Jeff had no doubt about that. "And you little one are going to be spoiled. We are going to send you things all the time, and come to visit as often as possible."

The front door opened and Jason walked into the penthouse. Closing the door slowly behind him he gave the older couple sitting on the couch holding his son a small smile. "Hello."

"Hi." Carolyn took the lead in the conversation. Because of Jeff's work she was a consummate hostess. "I'm Carolyn." She got to her feet and extended her hand.

"Jason." He said shaking it. Having strangers holding his child wasn't sitting well. His knee jerk reaction was the take Michael from them. Yup, he was overprotective. "Welcome to Port Charles. Have you seen much?" He asked after reaching for something to talk about.

"The airport. It's really nice." Jeff said with a grin. The younger man was standing there stiff as a board.

"We saw a bit on the drive over." Carolyn took up the conversation again. "I'm sure we'll see more the next time we come."

"The apartment you are in will be kept vacant so that you always have somewhere to stay." Jason let them know.

"That is very generous of you." Carolyn smiled as Liz came out of the kitchen.

"Hey." Liz smiled at Jason and gave him a quick kiss. "Here's the bottle." She handed it to her mom. "Dad I see you managed to get the baby." She was rubbing her husband's back. The tension was clear to feel under her palm. Part of it would be meeting her parents. Jason's experience with her family thus far hadn't been the greatest, so he wasn't sure what to expect. The bigger part would be the meeting he had with Alan and Edward. They would talk about that later in private.

"It won't last for long." Carolyn said with a smirk. "While Michael is eating why don't you show me pictures of the new house? If I'm distracted then I might not pout, much, that Jeff is getting to feed our grandson."

"I can do that." Liz got out her phone so she could show her mom the model. She looked at Jason and he gave her a look. She got, without him speaking, that he was working on relaxing. He sat in the armchair and Liz sat on the arm so that she was close to him. "There are five pictures. By the time you return next year it should be completed."

"Jason mentioned we would have an apartment here in the building for us." Carolyn said trying to include her son in-law in the conversation as she looked at the photos. "Elizabeth this is lovely."

"She designed it." Jason was so proud of that.

"That doesn't surprise me. Libby is talented like that." Carolyn held out the phone so Jeff could see too.

"Libby?" Jason looked at his wife with a slow smile. She would always be Elizabeth to him, and it never occurred to him that her parents would have a pet name for their daughter. It made sense. The family had recently started calling their son Mikey.

Liz just ignored him. "It goes without saying that you are welcome to use the amenities whenever you are here. The rooftop deck is fantastic when the weather cooperates. We should have dinner up there tonight so you can see it."

"That's possible." Jason was cooking the meal. It would give him a small break from socializing. Afterwards they would just carry everything up to the roof. Michael could join them as well.

"I think someone is falling asleep." Jeff let his daughter take the baby, and watched as she handed him to his father. Jason relaxed further and smiled at the small child. It was clear that he was comfortable holding him, which led to Jeff thinking that Jason was hands on. He liked how his daughter looked with her family beside her. Looking at his wife he saw she was enjoying the sight as well.

"Would you guys like to see my work space?" Liz knew that her parents weren't going to ask. They very much respected that it wasn't something that Elizabeth always wanted to share. So pushing her for access to her work never took place.

"We would love that." Carolyn was proud of how successful Libby was. They read every issue she sent them.

"It's across the hall." Liz got to her feet. Some time alone with the baby would relax her hubby further. "We'll be back."

"Okay." Jason raised his head and she gave him another kiss.

* * *

Liz led her parents into the other penthouse. "Steven still doesn't know what I do for a living. I'd like that to continue." She brought up her brother for what would probably be the only time during this visit. Since she had no plans to ever come forward her brother was now a liability. Not only because of his addictive personality, but because they were at odds. Outing her would be a great way to screw her life up if he wanted to.

"We will respect that wish." Jeff told his daughter. They would be the parents that both their children needed. Libby still needed to be protected. "This space is huge, and you have another amazing view."

"I used to work out of my apartment downstairs." Liz explained to them. "When Jason and I got married the guys wanted me somewhere a little more secure. This space was empty so I moved Georgie and I up here. If there is a chance I'll introduce you to her tomorrow." Both her parents had talked with her assistant on multiple occasions. Looking out the window she decided to sketch the view and send it to Germany. That way they had a piece of Port Charles in their home.

"How are you doing with Brenda's passing?" Carolyn had to work herself up to ask this question. The news of the model's death had been the most shocking part of the talk with Jeff. It was also the wakeup call that Carolyn needed to realize she was hiding from life. They weren't going to dwell on Brenda, but it needed to be addressed. It was sad, and telling, that Libby hadn't felt she could call to talk about this.

Liz was surprised that her mother knew about that. Clearly things in her parents's house had changed. For the best. While she hadn't agreed with what her father said they needed to do, she had respected his decision. Since he lived with her mother he had a better handle on her emotional state. "I'm doing okay. I planted a tree for her because her remains went to her husband in Paris."

Carolyn had to laugh. "Brenda hated nature."

"I know." Liz said with slick grin. She wasn't going to get into the fact that they had argued before Brenda's death. In fact she would deny they even saw one another that day if asked. Francis had been the one to explain what the WSB did, and why. Although Liz expected they would change topics soon, and was proven correct when her mother spoke again.

"Do you have your wedding album yet?" Carolyn wanted to know. She was doing better, but she still had work to do. "I'd love to see more pictures of your gown. Then I'd like a closer look at your ring." Her daughter was happy, and that made Carolyn happy as well.

"I certainly do." Liz said ushering them back to the door of penthouse four. "I also have the gown upstairs in a protective cover if you want to see it." So far the visit was going well. Tomorrow after her parents went to see Steven things might be different.

* * *

Dinner was lovely and Carolyn complimented Jason on his cooking, which made her new son in-law blush slightly. He was extremely quiet, but not standoffish. What was evident was his adoration of Libby. He spent most of the dinner watching her and when she smiled at him he answered with one of his own.

After the meal was completed the adults spent some time enjoying the evening and the beautiful deck. Stories of Elizabeth as a youngster was shared. Most revolved around her artist talent or her fearless streak. Sarah was in some of them, but Steven was not in any. Jason thought that his in-laws were deliberately editing themselves so that Elizabeth didn't have to spend time thinking about her brother. At some point they would need to talk to her about what he had done, but if it didn't happen during this visit that was fine. Sometimes you did need to let time pass before issues could be addressed fully. Sometimes you couldn't.

"It's bedtime for a certain small person." Liz said looking at Michael. "Would you like to see the nursery?"

"Absolutely." Carolyn got to her feet. "I showed the pictures you sent to several of my friends who are also grandmothers. They were jealous, and rightly so. Are you coming Jeff?"

"Not just yet Carrie." Jeff said indicating she should go with their daughter. "I'd like to speak with Jason."

"Okay." She gave him a kiss, while Liz did the same with Jason. "I'll see you later then." It was time to talk about their son.

"What did you need?" Jason asked sitting again when the ladies and Michael were gone.

Jeff looked at the younger man across the table from him. "First, I want to thank you for taking care of Libby and making her happy. Thank you also for keeping her safe. I very much liked seeing that she has a guard. I assume he goes everywhere with her?"

"He does." Jason was guessing that Elizabeth made introductions at the airport. "Elizabeth helps by not attempting to go anywhere without him or someone else when necessary."

"You've factored in her fan base?" Jeff was guessing yes.

"We have." Jason wasn't going to go into that in detail. "She is the center of my life, nothing is more important than her safety and the safety of our son." He had no problem saying that. Especially since Jeff wasn't trying to warn him off.

"Which brings us to my son." Jeff leaned back in his chair and looked out at the city. "May I ask why you didn't kill him?"

Jason paused as he considered his answer. "I'm going to guess you know what it is I do for a living?" He would get around to the question in a moment

"I work at a military hospital, on a military base. I know who I can go to for information that will forget I ever made a request. Or what they gathered." Jeff had been discreet, it helped that Jason was not someone the military considered a threat. "So yes, I am aware what you do."

"Steven is in a very bad position." Jason went back to the question. "He said that he had no choice in the matter, but that isn't true. There is always a choice. You just have to be strong enough to make it. If he felt he couldn't tell me there is a police station downtown. There is an FBI office in Buffalo. He could have called either one." Having the Feds here would have been irritating, but they would have dealt with it. "However I get why he didn't. He loves his sister. Elizabeth is angry and hurt, but if at a later date she wants to speak with her brother I couldn't take that chance from her. Steven has been made aware what the price of his continued living is. You have as well. The conditions about my son and future children will never change."

"Not even if Libby forgives Steven?" Jeff wanted to know how hard that line was. He would remind his son if necessary.

"That is not negotiable. I don't make a habit of dictating to Elizabeth. That isn't who we are. We generally make decisions together. She understands why I said it has to be like this." Jason explained looking at the older man.

"I happen to agree with you. Some lines can never be uncrossed. Steven will have to live with this loss for the rest of his life. Rock bottom exists for a reason." Jeff wasn't going to try to change his son in-law's mind. "Thank you. I have been a shitty father to my son, but I don't want to lose another child. I didn't realize that until you called me."

"Would you like to see him?" Jason wanted to know.

"I would." Jeff rose when the blonde man did. Hopefully the ride over would be enough time for him to get ready.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	77. Chapter 77

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 77

"Will your wife be joining us?" Jason wanted to know as they were waiting for the elevator outside the penthouse.

"Not just yet. We've decided it would be best if she and Steven don't talk until we are in Germany." Jeff looked at his son-in law as they stepped into the lift. "That isn't the avoidance tactic it sounds like. It's a long flight to get back home, we will all be in the same cabin on the way back. Carrie and I are sitting on one side of the aisle and Steven is sitting across from us. To keep the feelings that this talk will bring up, in both of them, making the flight more difficult than it will already be she and our son will be kept apart for now."

Jason nodded getting it as he selected the correct floor. "Is that why you didn't accept the offer to use my plane?" That they wanted to fly commercial had been surprising. Too much privacy apparently was a bad thing at the moment. Jason was wondering if his mother in-law might attack her son.

"Yes." Jeff looked over at Jason. "Libby said Steven wasn't staying in the building." It was a surprise that they were only going a few floors down from where he and Carrie were.

"Just before dinner I had him brought back." Jason would only give a partial explanation. "I wanted Steven close in case you wanted to see him." Jason also wasn't going to let his father in-law see too much of how the operation worked. Jeff didn't need to know where the warehouse was, or how they housed prisoners. "Elizabeth is aware that he is in the building. I wouldn't bring him back here without her being aware or without her permission."

"Thank you." Jeff replied pausing for a moment. "I don't expect that this visit is going to take very long. My wife and I have a lot of ground to cover as we become reacquainted with our son. We will start after we get Steven settled into his apartment, right after." There was another brief pause. "I haven't talked to my son in years, before we move him to another country I should reintroduce myself." It embarrassed Jeff to admit that, but lying and hiding couldn't take place anymore. This was just one of many painful moments to come. However to reach a place of healing they had to start somewhere.

Jason didn't say anything, he just let the older man talk. When they reached the proper floor and stepped off it was clear where Steven was being held. Since this was a floor with just Jason's guys on it the guard on the door wouldn't get a second look. Unless it was someone saying hi, or stopping by for a quick chat.

"Are you coming in?" Jeff was aware that Jason hadn't said anything in the last few minutes.

"No." Jason had no desire to insert himself in that relationship. "There are cameras." Which was the only warning Jeff would get to not try anything stupid. Guilt made people do strange things. A jailbreak wasn't going to take place.

"Understood." Jeff had no intention of doing anything he shouldn't. Elizabeth had been hurt enough, and that type behavior would in no way help Steven. Jason nodded to the young man who was on this shift, and the guard opened the door. "Will you be here when I'm done?" Jeff wanted to know.

"Yes." Jason nodded after the one word answer. He would chat with Barry who was on the door right now.

With a nod of his own Jeff walked into the apartment, closing the door behind him.

* * *

Steven had been surprised when the guards came to get him a couple of hours ago. His first thought was that Libby had changed her mind about letting him live. Ending up back at the Towers had been surprisingly unexpected. After being shown into this unit, he had been left alone to his thoughts. And they had been far ranging.

Once the confession was made Steven began to get a better picture of the man that his sister had married. Jason was apparently a very powerful figure in the underworld and dangerous, more dangerous than Karpov could ever hope to be. Steven's ignorance had played right into the hands of Luke Spencer.

His kidnapper's name was something else Steven had learned. Along with the knowledge that the proposed kidnapping was just one of several recent moves Spencer had made against Jason. The man had a lot of irons in the fire, possibly including the custody suit which may or may not have included Jason's grandfather's help. The papers were having a field day with the fact that Lucas L. Spencer Jr. had jumped bail. Luke more than likely expected one of those irons to pay off. Which Steven was guessing didn't happen.

The last bit of knowledge he had gained with all that time on his hands was that he wasn't coming out of this alive. In the back of his mind a voice had already been saying that there was no way the Russians would let him live even if Jason did. When that truth settled in Steven did what was normal for him. He pushed it aside. Because the thing about addictive personalities was that the voice you should listen to didn't get as much attention as the one that painted the rosy outlook. The one that told you that what you needed to get through the day was another drink, or that the next card game would be the one you were waiting for. So once again he simply chose to believe everything would be fine somehow.

If he did survive this, and was going to have a real shot at recovery then Steven needed to learn a new way to think. He also had to be committed to doing better for himself and not for anyone else. The reason that the rehab program Libby paid for didn't work was because Steven went into it with the wrong mindset. He wanted to do better because she believed in him, which he was so grateful for. Even more now than at the time he was in the program. He needed to believe in him. He also needed to let go of the fear that he wasn't enough without the props he had been hiding behind.

It was kind of ironic that a mobster possibly sparing his life turned out to be his true rock bottom. Steven was thinking this was the last warning the universe was going to give him, so it was time to start paying attention.

He was in the living room when the front door opened. Anyone could have walked in but to see his father standing there was surprising. The last he had heard he was flying to Germany with one of Jason's guys. The plans had apparently changed. "Hi." Steven said getting to his feet. He wasn't sure how to address him. Dad seemed too intimate, but Jeff seemed too formal.

"Steven." Jeff just took in the person in front of him. The young man Steven had been was gone. Standing there was a stranger who at the same time was incredibly familiar.

"Dad." Steven decided to go with that. "I wasn't expecting to see you just yet."

"We thought it was best to come get you." Jeff explained his presence. The awkwardness between them wasn't surprising, but hopefully this conversation would start them down the path to moving past it.

"Mom is here?" Steven wasn't sure what his father's feelings on this situation were. But he didn't fear it. It was going to be painful, but Steven thought that he was up to handling it. His mother's reaction scared the shit out him. The only person he feared facing more than Elizabeth, if she ever opted to speak to him again, was their mother. There was a very good chance that his mother would kill him on sight.

"She's with your sister." Jeff pointed to the chair. "Have a seat, so that we can talk."

Steven took a deep breath and did as asked.

* * *

"So is dad having "the talk" with Jason?" Liz asked making air quotes with her fingers.

"I think it's a little late for that." Carolyn said with a grin. Her grandson was sleeping on her lap which had her feeling great. The smile faded some as she explained where her husband was. "He wants to see Steven. Since our guys haven't come down I'm guessing his request was granted."

"I was surprised that the two of you agreed to let Steven move to Germany." Liz had wondered if they were going to discuss this before her parents and brother left.

"As I said on the phone, you've taken care of your brother long enough." Carolyn looked down into the sweet sleeping face of the baby.

"How is that going to work?" Liz couldn't help but worry about how this would stress her mother.

"I'll be okay." Carolyn smiled at her daughter. Even when Libby moved to California as a teenager they kept in touch, and they found their way past that rough patch. Carolyn wished she had been smart and strong enough to learn from that experience. Their family might be in a very different place. What she didn't doubt though was that Libby would still have found success and that she would have still found her way to Jason. Even with this short visit it was clear the younger couple belonged together.

"I worry." Liz wasn't going to hide that.

"I know. You have done everything asked of you to protect me. Even when you didn't agree with it." Carolyn said with a knowing smile. "Your dad and I have been talking about my issues, because they led to the bigger issues plaguing our family. I need to go back into therapy, and I will. Your dad and I will also be going to therapy with Steven. I don't think this will work if we don't." She had been surprised to learn that she was still angry at her son. It was time to move past that. "Sarah would be horrified at my behavior."

"She always was the peacekeeper." Liz said with a sad smile. "I think no one would blame us for our immediate reactions to Sarah's death. We were all angry, hurt, and in pain. It was down the line that we failed to honor her. To honor what she brought to our lives. She would want us all to take care of each other."

"Give yourself time." Carolyn said passing the baby to her daughter. "Your hurt is still very fresh."

"I need to move past this. Not for Sarah, or for Steven. I need to do it for me, and I will. However I would be lying if I said that this won't affect my relationship with Steven going forward. I want to be in a place where you can host us both at the same time." Liz explained her feelings on the matter. Right now she still wanted to kick his ass, and if he was in front of her she would probably give into that desire. "I just don't know that it will ever be possible." Liz said being honest. "I'm not going to deny my feelings to spare his, so that means I have work to do as well."

Carolyn nodded because she had been there. She also knew that Libby would do better than she had. Even if she never forgave her brother, Libby would handle it better. "At the moment Steven is going to be living in an apartment not far from the house. Jeff used his connections to get the unit." Carolyn shared some of what Jeff was currently talking to their son about.

"Is it a halfway house?" Liz was guessing. After rehab Steven has stayed in one for about six weeks. He said it helped.

"It's something similar." Carolyn told her daughter. "Addiction is treated differently in Europe than here in the states. So the format isn't exactly the same. Steven will get the support that he is in need of. We got to do a walk through before getting on the plane. It's a lovely space. The center believes in approaching addiction from a mental, physical, and emotional standpoint. He'll be encouraged to get a job, and to be social. Balance is what the goal is. Your brother will stay there for six months and then he'll be reevaluated. After that if he's ready he will move into an apartment of his own. If he's not ready he will stay there."

"Can he live in Germany once he finishes the program?" Elizabeth wanted to know. "Or will you encourage him to move away? To really stand on his own?"

"That will be up to him." Carolyn told her daughter. "If he wants to stay he can. It might be for the best if he has family close by, your brother has not done well on his own before now. I'm hoping that will change. I'm thinking that if he finds a place where he belongs then he can settle and be happy." She put her hand over her daughter's. "Let us take care of him now. You've done enough work. Now you get to focus on that amazing baby, your husband, and yourself.''

"My life is pretty good right now." Liz looked down at her son. "I'm not going to let my feelings toward Steven intrude upon that."

"Is there any chance of getting more grandchildren?" Carolyn wanted to know. She knew she was being outrageous, but she was hoping to lighten the mood.

"Isn't the one enough for now?" Liz asked trying not to laugh.

"For now." Carolyn said with a cheeky grin. "I'll try to wait. You and Jason will have beautiful babies. I will be the envy of every other grandmother I know when I show them all my beautiful grandchildren."

"How many are you planning on?" Liz wanted to know.

"As many as I can get." Carolyn answered brightly. "Any chance of me meeting your in-laws tomorrow before I go?"

"No." Liz quickly shut that down. The bit of frost that coated her mother's words said that would be a bad idea. "How did you figure out there is an issue there. I was careful to keep my voice neutral when we talked."

"Because you kept your voice neutral when we talked." Carolyn was smiling again.

"I'm going to put Michael in his swing, and after that how about we make some brownies for you and dad to take home." Liz wanted to get off the topic of Monica and Alan.

"Okay, but this tactic will only work for so long." Carolyn said getting to her feet. "When your father and I come for a longer stay, I'll find a way to arrange that meeting." She would happily put the other couple in their place if things were still bad at that point.

"Uh-huh." Liz said as she strapped Michael in. "Did I mention that I made brownies this morning so there would be some for us to eat tonight?"

"You always were the stubborn one." Carolyn said following her daughter into the kitchen.

"I wonder where I got that from?" Liz asked innocently as she handed her mother an apron.

* * *

"Loitering?" Renaldo asked his boss. He had come to check on Barry. Not that he expected the guard to be slacking off. The enforcer just wanted to make sure the guard didn't need to use the bathroom or anything like that. They always made sure the guys had the names of a few people they could call if they needed to step away for a minute. One of their guys was a diabetic and they didn't want him missing his blood sugar checks. That need had led to overall changes during the eight hour shift from when Sonny was in charge.

"Yes." Jason said with a grin. He wasn't surprised to see Renaldo checking in. "I thought this was the perfect spot to get into mischief."

"You need to get out more if you think that's true." Renaldo replied laughing. "Is everything okay?" It was a little strange for his boss to be sitting on the windowsill considering his in-laws were here. Or maybe Jason was hiding because it wasn't going well.

"My father in-law is in with Steven." Jason pointed to the door as he was talking. "It's been about thirty minutes, I'm trying to decide if I want to go check. Jeff could have killed him by now. Him being a doctor he would know how to go about committing a homicide."

"Other than the possible murder the visit is going well?" Renaldo leaned against the wall as he asked his question.

"We haven't really had a lot of interaction." Jason replied shrugging. "They both seem okay. I think it helps that I don't care if they like me or not. I just don't want Elizabeth hurt anymore. The three of us getting along would be for the best, but we are usually so far apart that even if we don't it shouldn't be that bad. I'm doing better than Cody so far."

"That's not really saying much." Renaldo was not a Monica or Alan Quartermaine fan. "Nadine doesn't have any family here, so if we get to that point I won't have to worry about that."

"You think you guys are heading there?" Jason wanted to know.

"Yes." Renaldo said with a grin. "I know it's early, but she's special."

"Congrats." Jason was happy for his friend. They both stood up as the door opened. "Jeff, this is Renaldo. Renaldo, my father in-law Dr. Webber."

"Sir." Renaldo said shaking the extended hand.

Jeff nodded. "It's nice to meet you." He was feeling raw after his short talk with his son. Steven's life since Sarah's death had been a mess. He needed his parents, and Jeff could not escape the fact that he and Carrie had failed their son. Which meant on some level they had failed both Libby and Sarah by not helping their brother.

"Elizabeth is making brownies, and she said we should come up before they are gone." Jason could see the older man was off balance.

"Sounds good." Jeff felt like he had aged twenty years during the talk with Steven. "Gentlemen." He said to the guard and Renaldo before heading to the elevator.

"Check on Steven please." Jason asked Renaldo. When the enforcer nodded Jason followed his father in-law down the hall. He wouldn't push for any details, but if Jeff wanted to talk he would listen. Something inside Jason said that wasn't going to be the case. His father in-law would more than likely talk with his wife, but the information might not go further. They just had to get through tonight and tomorrow, after that they could start putting this behind them. That was something he was looking forward to.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	78. Chapter 78

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copy infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 78

Liz was in bed when Jason came out of the bathroom. They had spent most of the day together but hadn't really talked much, which felt odd. Sharing her was a skill he was going to have to get better at the thought to himself with a chuckle. Her parents had left for their apartment almost twenty minutes ago and after settling Michael down for the night they headed to their room. "How was your day, before your parents arrived?"

"I was in my studio." Liz said pulling back the covers so he could lie down. "Where I was totally unproductive because I was too excited to concentrate. So instead I did some routine maintenance. Straightened up, sharpened pencils, filled out an order form so Georgie can get the supplies I'm low on. Stuff like that. How was your meeting with Alan and Edward?" This was something she had been waiting to hear about.

"Skye was correct. Alan was involved. He asked Edward to make sure she never found her way here." Jason stretched out and Elizabeth did as well cuddling close. Jason absolutely loved how that felt.

"How is Skye?" Liz wanted to know.

"Cody asked to tell her alone." Jason had been struggling against the urge to call again for most of the day. "He said she requested a get together with us, Em, and Matt soon. I was thinking we could have everyone over tomorrow night." While it meant another night he wouldn't have his wife to himself, he was worried about his sister.

"We can do that." Liz instantly agreed. "Does Em know?"

"No, and Skye is requesting that we don't tell her. I told her we would respect that decision." Jason shared while rubbing his wife's back. "Alan will be leaving Port Charles, which will help with that."

"Your idea?" Liz could see him telling his father to leave so that Skye won't have to ever cross paths with him.

"Yes, but I checked with Skye first." Jason confirmed before pressing a kiss on Elizabeth's forehead. "Edward is staying here, but he is stepping down from the hospital board. He's not fit to make decisions that affect others. Jax would have told Edward to step down once the hospital sale is finalized, now he doesn't have to." While ELQ could change hands quickly, the hospital sale was more complicated. Diane said that in a few more weeks everything would be done.

"If Alan leaves is Monica going to go with him?" Liz wanted to know how that would work.

"He'll make sure she does." Jason said looking at his wife.

"What does that mean?" Liz asked, his voice changed pitch.

"I told Edward that he couldn't interfere when the board selects a new Chief of Staff after Alan serves notice. That if Monica earns the job it has to be on her own merit, not because of his influence. However Alan has friends on the board too." Jason said with a smirk.

"That's cold." Liz looked at her husband. "Is this your way of punishing your mother for how she treated Carly?"

"No. It's my way of punishing her for how she treated you." He admitted looking into Elizabeth's blue eyes. "No one hurts you and gets away with it. I told Alan that if he came back to visit he had to get Skye's permission. She'll give it, and they will return home from time to time to visit. When they do they can see Michael. I'm even willing to share pictures." Jason even suspected that at some point Skye would consent to Alan and Monica returning to Port Charles full time because Lila and Emily were here.

"I guess there is no chance he'll come clean, and just ask Monica to go with him?" Liz wanted to know.

"I doubt it." Jason emphasized his answer by shaking his head. "That isn't how things in my family work. Or at least with Alan, Tracy, and Edward."

"I'm glad that we are getting all this mess out of the way in one shot. Yes it's been annoying, but at least it's done." She said disgusted. "We get to live the rest of our lives in peace, right?" At least from their families.

"If I have my way, yes we will." Jason let her know. He knew what she meant.

"My mother wants more grandchildren." Elizabeth shared with a grin.

"Really. She just came out and said that?" Jason asked surprised.

"She did." Liz confirmed nodding. "We haven't talked in depth about if we are going to have more children." It had been mentioned quickly by them both at various points.

Jason rolled them so that Elizabeth was on her back and he was lying next to her on his side. "We haven't. How do you feel about expanding our family?"

"I like the idea of more children. Even though it's had some heartbreaking moments, I liked have siblings, of being part of that kind of unit." She told him. "Of knowing that there was someone who had my back no matter what. At least when I was growing up." Things were so different now.

"Based on the stories I've heard that isn't the sibling experience I had until I was an adult." Jason said putting his words together as he went. "However I understand that families tend to be more like yours was when you were growing up, than mine. Emily said I was a good brother."

"You still are." Liz said interrupting him and earning a quick kiss. "Have you considered that we would have more than Michael?"

"Yes. It took a while though. The first night he arrived and we were all together downstairs I didn't realize that I was getting a glimpse into how our life could be. We weren't married at that point, but we were already forming a family. Once we started talking about building the house and you mentioned children I saw it. I began thinking that we might be able to have more than one child. I just wasn't sure when we would really talk about this topic." He admitted with a wry grin.

"I'm enjoying it being just the three of us at the moment." Liz linked their fingers. "I'd like to have some time to enjoy that dynamic. At the same time I don't want a huge gap between my children. Maybe sometime around Michael's second birthday we can start trying for another child?"

"That way sometime around his third birthday, give or take a few months, the baby might be here?" Jason wanted to make sure they were on the same page.

"Yes." Liz said nodding. "During that time we will have an opportunity to not only enjoy this period in Michael's life, but to enjoy being a couple." Things between them had progressed rapidly once they made the decision to move from friends to something more, but she wouldn't change a minute.

"I like the sound of that." Jason nodded his agreement to what she had just said. "There are things I'd like for us to experience. Not that we can't if we have children, but I am aware that there hasn't been a lot of us time and I'm selfish enough to want some."

"We can be selfish together. Having a nanny will help with that. We just have to make sure not she gets plenty of downtime so that Renaldo doesn't hurt you." Liz said laughing. At some point she was thinking Nadine might step down to pursue a family of her own. "We have time to figure this out."

"That we do." Jason said leaning forward to kiss his wife. "Let's get some sleep, tomorrow will be busy." It would be hard emotionally as well. He was going to be with Elizabeth all day to help her get through it.

* * *

"Did you sleep well?" Liz asked bringing out plates for her parents. They were boarding a plane in a matter of hours, by lunch they would be on their way home. So she was enjoying this time with them, and already looking forward to their next visit. She wasn't going to the airport because Steven would be with them.

"We did. That unit is lovely." Carolyn already had a good cry over them leaving while she and Jeff were downstairs. She didn't want to be a blubbering mess during their time with Libby. "The view from the balcony is breathtaking both at night and in the morning. I am looking forward to exploring the city during future visits." Reaching over she tickled her grandson's tummy which made Michael smile and kick his legs. This morning the little boy was wearing an outfit they gave him.

"These look wonderful sweetheart." Jeff looked down at the waffles. "Does this mean you've gotten better in the kitchen?" He asked with a smirk.

Liz just huffed at her dad. "We don't need to go there."

"Go where?" Jason wanted to know watching his mother in-law with his son. They were on the terrace off of penthouse two this morning. The awning provided great coverage so they didn't have to worry about the little guy getting too much sun. He was still too young for sunblock.

"Libby has had some memorable kitchen moments. My absolute favorite was when she caused an oil explosion at twelve." Carolyn said before her daughter could stop her. "After that she wasn't allowed to cook unsupervised for an entire year."

"The recipe didn't say that the chicken had to be thawed. It just said put chicken in hot oil, and that I should hear a sizzle." Liz said defending herself.

"Ouch." Jason said trying not to laugh. She didn't have any scars so Elizabeth clearly hadn't been hurt. The kitchen on the other hand had to have been a disaster.

"I think everyone in town heard Libby and Sarah screaming." Carolyn gave up and laughed. "We were finding oil splatter around the room for weeks."

"I was more worried that I had injured Sarah." Liz was fighting off a grin at the memory. They had both escaped unscathed. "I was also glad Steven wasn't home because he would have never let me live it down." She said and the urge to smile went away.

"Elizabeth is much better in the kitchen now. No frozen chickens have been harmed since I've known her." Jason said to fill the silence.

"Breakfast is still my weakest meal. I don't make it very often. Jason usually cooks in the morning." She said pushing the hurt away. "Waffles are hard to mess up though. I want to get better, and learn more recipes before Michael starts eating solid food."

"I can send you some recipes to try. I've been having a love affair with German cuisine since we moved over. They have some delicious and easy dishes. I'm sure that you can master them with no problem." Carolyn kept the conversation moving. If Elizabeth wanted to talk about Steven after the meal was over they could. Her daughter might just need a break, which was okay as well. Namely because Libby wouldn't hide for long. Carolyn was proud that her daughter was strong. Even stronger than she was.

"I'd like that." Liz smiled at her mom. "I want to introduce Michael to different cultures. Both Jason and I like to travel so I don't see that being a problem. However food is a quick way to learn about other countries." Hopefully those trips would include Europe and they could occasionally invite her parents to join them. Jason wouldn't mind hosting her parents in Puerto Rico or anywhere else for that matter.

"Did you want more coffee dad?" Liz noticed his mug was empty.

"Sure, thanks sweetie." He handed over the cup.

"Be right back." Liz said getting up and going back into the penthouse. She was filling the mug when Jason walked into the kitchen. "I'll be okay." He was worried about her. "It's hard. He's been in my life for the entire time I've been alive. Now he isn't. Nor do I have an indication that is going to change anytime soon. I'm adjusting."

"Give yourself time." Jason urged her into his arms and held her tight.

"I will. Having a therapist is really helping." Liz let him know. She had gone to therapy, for a short period, when she was staying with Brenda after losing Sarah. Liz felt that it had been tremendously helpful, the doctor had been the one to say that she didn't need to keep coming back. Now it was time for a refresher, especially since the rest of her family was going to be going. It could help them all stay on the same page.

"You have my support." Jason let her know. "I'm around too, if you want to talk." That was something she should know, he just wanted to make sure.

Liz stretched up and kissed him. "I know. I'm thankful for that." Leaning over she grabbed the mug. "Come on, let's go back out. I want to send my dad some coffee, he is enjoying it."

"Just tell the manager at the coffee shop where Renaldo has his office. She will ship it out as often as you need her to." Jason told her as they went back to finish the morning meal and spent more time with Elizabeth's parents.

* * *

"I'm going to miss you so much." Carolyn was getting in one final hug before they left. The visit was too short. Honestly there wasn't ever a visit that was long enough. Even when Libby came to Germany for ten days it was never enough time. "Call me when you get a chance, and send me lots of pictures of my grandson."

"I can do both. I gave some fun things to dad for the both of you." Liz said holding her mother close. She had asked a runner to go get a digital photo frame like the one Lila had. Her mother would have plenty of pictures of her grandson to share. That device was going to end up in the house so Liz had also gotten a traditional photo frame, which now held a photo of Michael, for her dad's office. "Wait until you get home to open them." The gifts were in the carry on they brought the items for Michael in. "Dad also has the brownies."

"Okay." Carolyn leaned back so she could look at her daughter. Libby was so beautiful. "I love you, and I'm so proud of you. I'm also so thrilled that you are happy. I want that for you." She thought her daughter had earned it after what this family had put her through. Sarah's situation wasn't her fault, but everything Libby had endured with Steven had been forced on her by them.

"Thanks mom." Liz moved over and let her dad hug on her. "Don't work too hard, okay? Stop every once in a while and take mom out to dinner."

"Or ring shopping." Carolyn said being smart. She had spent some time looking at her daughter's wedding set.

"I love you." Jeff said kissing her forehead. "Send me some pictures of Michael, I don't think your mother will share the ones you send to her." He didn't exchange emails with their daughter as often as his wife.

"I can do that. I'm glad you like Jason." He would have said something if he didn't.

"He treats you good, and he loves you. That's all I need." Jeff said hugging her tight before letting her go. "We need to get going." Steven had already left for the airport. They would meet up with him before boarding the plane. Yesterday Jeff told his son not to speak to his mother at all during the flight. Hopefully he would obey that directive.

"Call me when you get home." Liz requested getting another hug from her mother. She took Michael from Jason so he could get kisses from his grandmother.

"He's so precious." Carolyn said smiling at the baby. She couldn't wait for the next visit so she could watch her baby being a mommy. "We love you too Michael. I can't wait to go shopping and send you more things."

"On that note, we will go." Jeff got another kiss from his daughter, and kissed the baby as well before shaking Jason's hand. Carrie was going to be in tears before they reached the lobby. By the time they reached the airport she would calmer. That should last until they boarded the plane. It was going to be a long tense flight.

Elizabeth waited until the door closed before turning to Jason and leaning against him. The tears she had been holding back rolled down her cheeks. "I miss them already."

"Your dad said they want to come back before the end of the year. We should invite them to come for Thanksgiving." Jason suggested.

"He loves turkey." Liz looked up at her guy and smiled. "Michael needs a nap so he is ready for Em and Skye to fight over him."

"That's hard work." Jason said with a laugh. "We can lie down too." A nap wouldn't hurt them, especially since Elizabeth didn't sleep well last night.

"That is a good idea. Come on Michael." She said carrying the baby to the stairs with Jason behind them.

* * *

"Hey." Liz had been the one to open the door at the knock. Cody and Skye were on the other side. One glance at the redhead had Elizabeth worried, she didn't look at all well. "Sit down." She steered her sister to the couch.

"What's wrong?" Jason asked Cody, but it was Skye who answered.

"It hit me a little earlier today that I made a unilateral decision and its gong to rob Emily of her parents." Skye was being crushed by guilt. "I'm also keeping a secret from her. Jason just finished dealing with Edward so that we wouldn't have to contend with more lies, and I'm already playing with the lives of other family members." The words poured out of her. "How is what I'm doing any different from the games Edward spent his whole life playing?"

"You aren't manipulating anyone." Jason pointed out the difference.

"Yes I am. I'm the reason Alan is leaving. Monica probably as well." Skye took the glass of water Cody was holding out and they could all see she was shaking.

"You didn't make him leave, I did." Jason could take this on and not lose any sleep.

"You left the decision to me." Skye reminded him.

"No. I asked if you would like some space." Jason had perfect recall of the conversation. "You said yes. The final decision of how all this played out was mine." Which was the truth. "I could have let him stay, but I don't want him here."

"I'm still keeping a secret from Em." Skye saw no way around that issue. "I just don't want her to know that about Alan. I do appreciate you saying that to make me feel better even though I know what my role in all this was." He was trying to protect her.

"I don't say things to make people feel better." Jason's eyes locked onto Skye's. "I don't tell little white lies, or fudge the truth. You didn't make the decision that Alan had to leave. I did."

"As for the secret, there is difference between not saying something to protect someone and not saying something to control them. A vast difference." Liz told her sister. She urged Skye to drink her water and looked over to where Cody was watching his pregnant girlfriend. His worry was etched on his face.

That was what Emily and Matt walked into. Liz had told the guard to just show them in when they arrived. "Hi. What's wrong?" Emily asked instantly at Skye's side. "Is something wrong with the baby?" Her sister looked pale.

"Alan is leaving Port Charles." Jason simply took control of the situation. "He will probably take Monica with him."

"Why?" Emily looked over at her brother. She thought the issues within the family were done, but something must have happened. She could hear an odd note in her brother's voice. "Did he try something with Michael?"

"No. Alan did something and it's best that he leaves." Jason wasn't going to give Emily the whole story, but he would let her know that this was his doing.

"That doesn't work with me Jase." Emily gave her brother a slight glare. "I'm not one of your employees, so you don't get to put on your boss hat and expect me to fall in line." Her temper was slipping. She was getting the impression that Skye knew what was going on, and that was why their sister was upset.

"Deal." Jason said stonewalling her.

"No." Emily got to her feet and placed her hands on her hips. "You stand there and tell me my dad is leaving town. I'm guessing not by his choice, so give me a reason. I backed you in your bid for Michael because we are family and we stick together. You don't get to change that now." The funny part was she got the feeling they were trying to spare her feelings.

"Your father and Edward knew about Skye before she was born. They took her from her first adoptive parents and basically sold her to the Chandlers. She wasn't supposed to ever learn she was a Quartermaine." Cody was the one to break the stalemate. If Em was going to be pissed at someone, it should be him because he wasn't technically family. If she wanted to avoid him for the rest of her life it could be done fairly easily. "Jason is making Alan go so that I don't kill him." Because yup, Cody very much wanted to do so.

"You're not surprised." Liz commented surprised. There was nothing about Emily's body language that said this was shocking.

"Nothing about this family is very surprising. Heartbreaking yes, but the different ways we hurt one another is no longer surprising." Emily said processing the information. When this finally sank in she was going to be devastated. At the same time she wasn't going to make this situation harder on Skye, who was clearly suffering. "Thank you." She said looking at her sister.

"For what?" Skye hadn't expected Emily to say that.

"You didn't want me to know because you don't want me to be angry with Alan." Emily looked over at their brother before speaking again. "Why could you come to the mansion but Skye couldn't?" Some of the anger she was feeling was coming through in her voice because that was the emotion she was leading with. "Money? That is generally the root of everything in the family."

"There was no prenup between Alan and Monica when he learned about Skye. There was one in place when he learned about me." Jason told his sister. He would leave it at that.

"Em, relax." Matt went to where she was standing and rubbed her back. "You can't have your blood pressure going up." He added on quietly and she nodded her head.

"Are you having health issues?" Skye wanted to know. She had been holding her breath after Cody told Emily what was going on. For a very long few seconds she had no idea what her sister's reaction was going to be. Like Liz she had been surprised by Emily's lack of surprise. What her sister said when she started speaking was a sad testament about life in this family up to this point.

"No." Emily promised everyone. They all looked worried by Matt's statement. "I'm in perfect health, I'm also pregnant." If there was ever a night for good news it was this one. "So it's a good thing dad is leaving town. My hormones may lead me to hurt him." Emily was pissed so she needed to avoid her father for The time being. By then she might not want to hurt him. Not for one minute did she doubt what Cody said was true.

"Congratulations." Skye said hugging her sister. "I'm sorry we tried to hide this from you."

"Don't be. I know you did it because you love me." Emily said letting Skye go so that Liz could hug her. Jason was next followed by Cody. "Michael is going to have another playmate. It's too early to announce it to anyone else, I'm only eight weeks. Grandmother knows though."

"Now we have something to celebrate." Liz said smiling at the group. "You guys sit at the table, while Jason and I bring in the food." Over dinner they would talk babies, family, and probably Alan. After tonight they would close the book on Quartermaine drama, hopefully for good.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	79. Chapter 79

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

Not Safe For Work

* * *

Chapter 79

"Palm trees." Liz was grinning as they walked down the stairs of the plane. The island was a two and a half hour flight from Port Charles and had been uneventful. She was thinking with this location closer they might make more trips here than California during the year. "Never a bad thing to be greeted with when on vacation."

"They are coconut palms." Jason let his wife know as he took their bags from Marco. Despite visiting on numerous occasions, this was a location where Jason didn't have clothes waiting for him. So he had to pack last night as well. They would be leaving things at the house, so that they could come back whenever they wanted to. "They are all over the island, and a lot of local restaurants use coconut on the menu."

"Not a fan?" Liz asked as she put Michael in his car seat. Her husband seemed less than thrilled.

Jason walked around the car and opened her door. "Not really. There are a lot of other local fruits and vegetables to eat. So it's not hard to avoid. Do you like coconut?"

"I've never had it straight from the tree before, only in desserts and frozen drinks. Its fine there. I'm not sure how I would like it in savory dishes. I'm up to trying it, if we go out." Whenever she left the country she tried to explore regional cuisines. Liz stole a kiss before getting into the car. They were only staying for three days so she wasn't expecting to leave the compound much. If they did go out it wouldn't be until tomorrow. The sun would be setting soon, so they would be staying in tonight after arriving at the house.

As they drove across the island she took in the sights. Lots of beautiful colors from the flowers that were in bloom. If there were any vases in the house she'd love to pick up some cut flowers for their stay. "When was the last time you were here?" She asked as they drove past the gate that protected the estate.

"About a year after Sonny died. I've never really spent a lot of time on the island. This was where he came to relax and I rarely got an invitation to come visit." Jason answered with a shrug. "I didn't take that personally. I think Sonny wanted as few reminders of Port Charles as possible when he was on vacation. We also didn't spend a lot of time together when we weren't working. Especially right before he died."

Liz had heard about Sonny's betrayal. It was kind of shocking because as a whole the guys didn't do things like that. They were incredibly respectful of one another's relationships. It was proof that Port Charles was a very different place before she moved there. Liz didn't think she would have liked Sonny very much.

"I'm happy to have this break with you and Michael." Liz smiled at him as they pulled up in front of the house. The place was beautiful, like something out of a travel brochure.

"Leave the bags for now." Jason said as he parked in front of the main stairs. "I'll come back and get them later. Like back home there is no live in staff, but housekeeping comes out a couple of times a week. There is no service on the weekend." He explained to her how it worked down here. They wouldn't messy so that was fine. Opening the front door he let her go first.

From the entry you could see all the way through to the ocean. "Stunning." The water was a crystal blue, lighter in shade than the water near their home in California. She was guessing it was warmer too. "I like that there is a pool as well."

"You can't see it from here, but there is a covered deck by the ocean. You can sit there and enjoy the breeze if you don't feel like going down to the beach. If you do want to go down then you just take the stairs. We are the only house on this part of the island, so the beach is private."

"We can start our days with walks." Liz said with a smile.

"We can." Jason was looking forward to that. "I had the place baby proofed. I also had furniture delivered for Michael."

"How many bedrooms are there?" Liz asked following Jason deeper into the cool interior.

"Five. The smallest room was turned into the nursery. The master is upstairs and to the right at the end of the corridor. The nursery is the room closest to it." Jason let her know. "If you want to switch that we can do it before we leave."

"I'm sure its fine." Liz said taking in the decor. "Did Sonny decorate? If so he had great taste." They would be comfortable. The house had a very laid back tropical spirit to it that encouraged you to relax.

"No." Jason was grinning as he answered. "Sonny was into black leather. He had it all over this house, and at the penthouse. Skye redecorated for me. She and Cody come down fairly often. While he was reviewing security at the casino I own, she met with an interior designer at my request. If you don't like it, we can change it."

"I wasn't saying it looked great to be nice because Sonny is dead." Liz explained rubbing Michael's back. He was sleeping now, but would wake up shortly for his last bottle of the night. "I really meant that." This didn't look at all like her home in Port Charles, which was also lovely. You could see that Skye kept the locale in mind when picking the furnishings.

Standing here with his family he finally understood Sonny's mindset a little better. It was nice to have a place where he could just be Jason the husband and father. That thought was followed by the realization that a trip to the island or California wasn't necessary to find that place. He had it back in Port Charles because he had Elizabeth and Michael to come home to at the end of the day. Trips were nice but if he waited until they left New York to appreciate his family then he would eventually lose them. He needed to make sure he was putting in the work everyday to make this flourish, because he knew Elizabeth would be working hard to make sure they stayed together. "Come on, let's walk through the rest of the house and go see upstairs."

"Nursery first." Liz wanted to let their son get settled. After that was done then Jason could give her a personal tour of their island home.

* * *

"Good morning." Liz picked up Michael and took him over to the changing table. This was her favorite time of the day with her son. Something about that early morning baby smell just made her heart overflow. "Did you have a good sleep?"

On the changing table the baby was smiling back at her.

"Yesterday I told you we were going on a trip. You saw a little bit of your new room last night when you got your bottle. Today you'll get to see more of the house. We are on an island in the Caribbean that is under the legal jurisdiction of Spain, so you can now say you've been to three different countries." Liz said as she opened his sleeper. "The best part is that we have a new beach to explore and take morning walks on. After you get changed, get some clothes, and then something to eat we are going to go out."

She put a new diaper on the baby and then reached over grabbing his outfit for the day. Elizabeth had learned that laying out the clothes by the changing table the night before made life much easier. "This is another outfit from your grandparents, my parents. They really loved meeting you. I'm hoping we can see them again before the year ends."

Michael gurgled and kicked his legs clearly enjoying their conversation.

"Exactly." Liz said laughing. She raised up the red, white, and blue stripped one piece outfit to blow on Michael's tummy which made him laugh loudly. She did it again which made him laugh once more. She was laughing too as she closed the snaps on his legs. "I think it's time for us to go find Daddy and take that walk on the beach. How does that sound?" Michael smiled at her which she took to be him agreeing with her plans.

* * *

Jason was getting dressed and listening to Elizabeth talk with their son. When the baby laughed the smile on Jason's face got wider. Knowing that the little guy was happy was everything. He was pulling on his shirt when Michael laughed again and Jason's mood shifted. He felt a wave of grief for his brother hit him square in the chest.

If he was being honest with himself this feeling had been building since yesterday. Diane had sent a parcel to the penthouse which arrived right after he got in from his office. Inside the envelope was Michael's new birth certificate with their names on it. Jason had looked at it for a moment before passing it to Elizabeth. There was such joy, and profound sadness, in that one moment.

Standing here listening to his wife and son, Jason was feeling that again. In a very real sense both his and Elizabeth's grieving had been interrupted by the plots Edward and Luke had put into motion. Jason also didn't always know how to handle being hurt, especially emotionally. From his time in the hospital, after being in the coma, he had learned to bottle things up because very few people were listening. Lila and Em had been his biggest sources of support, but they hadn't been allowed much access to him at first.

So it sometimes took longer for him to feel certain things. However with Elizabeth he had a safe place to experience his hurt and loss. He didn't have to explain or be embarrassed by what he felt. Which was why he was crying by the time she walked into the bedroom with Michael in her arms.

* * *

Elizabeth didn't say anything when she saw that Jason was in tears. Instead she just took his hand and led him over to the sitting area in their bedroom. Her guy had such deep emotions. She knew that he wasn't done grieving for AJ, in all honesty Jason hadn't even really be allowed to start. The fact that he had to push his emotions aside to deal with Edward made her dislike for the older man go deeper. "Sit down." She said gently and when he did she put their son in his father's arms.

Jason just hugged the soft body close as Elizabeth's care and love washed over him. "I miss AJ. It just never occurred to me that I would be alive and he wouldn't. I guess that not being able to imagine things protected me to some extent. Or it made me ignorant, I'm not sure which. I've lost people I work with, and someone I've dated, but I've never lost a member of my family. I don't want to lose anyone else, but I will. That's just how life is." He said before kissing his son's forehead.

She just rubbed his back and let him get his feeling out. There wasn't a need for her to say anything so she didn't. Michael was snuggling close almost like he knew his dad needed a hug. It was at moments when their grief was the sharpest that they were the most grateful for their son. They had a piece of those they had lost still here with them.

"Having lost AJ, makes me want to hold everyone I love closer. It also make me angry that instead of being able to do that I ended up having to push part of our family away. I don't regret what I had to do where either Alan or Edward are concerned. We couldn't fully heal with things the way they were." Jason placed his cheek on the top of Michael's head and let the motion of Elizabeth's hand on his back relax him. "AJ and Carly would want us to be happy, and they would want their son to be happy as well. I think that we are on the path to that now. How do you feel?" Jason wanted to know.

"I agree, we are on the way to a happy life." They still had some grieving to do, and some things to work through, but life over all was good. Liz kissed his shoulder. He was in a dark gray sleeveless athletic shirt and his skin was warm.

"We should go for that walk on the beach now." Jason wanted to get their day started. "After that we can decide what else to do with our day."

"That sounds perfect." Liz would let Jason carry Michael. Since their son was holding his head up with no problem now they would leave the chest carrier in the house.

"Let me wipe my face." Jason gave Michael to his mom before going to do that.

* * *

"You look pretty today." Jason said following her to the sliding glass doors. "Doesn't she Michael?" The question was met with a grin from the little boy.

Liz smiled at her guys as she stepped out into the warm day. She was in denim shorts that showed off a good bit of leg, and a bright blue V neck cropped top. On her feet were white flat sandals which she would leave on the deck while they walked over the sand. It was a perfect vacation outfit. "I love this pool area. We'll need water shoes so we don't slip on the tile." She imagined that the surface got hot during the day as well so protection on their feet was a must.

"We can do that while we are out today. We need water safety items for Michael too." Jason was thinking they could get into the pool later in the day, or after their son was sleeping. They didn't have Nadine on this trip with them because they just wanted family time.

Before they walked down to the beach Liz put Michael's hat on his head to protect him from the sun. "I think this my new favorite beach." She said as they began their stroll. "The sand here is softer than in California, and I've never seen water that shade of blue before. We will need to have a picnic before we leave. Maybe tonight we can have dinner down by the water."

"I know there is a picnic basket in the house, so transporting everything will be easy." Jason thought that would be a great way to end the day. "Skye likes picnics so she has everything we will need, including a blanket."

"I'm already looking forward to that." Liz answered as she turned her face into the breeze coming off the water. "Are you enjoying the beach Michael?" She kissed his neck and made him laugh. That really was one of the greatest sounds ever. "Let's go put our toes in the ocean."

"That sounds like fun." Jason linked the fingers of his free hand with hers as they walked to the waterline.

* * *

"The kid is in his crib. How would you like to go for a swim?" Liz walked over to where Jason was sitting on the couch and let her fingers drift through his hair. He was completely relaxed after their day together. "When you were changing Michael's diaper, after we came home from our afternoon out, I took the monitor receiver and went for a walk. I could still hear you even when I was all the way down by the deck." That was where they ended up having dinner because it was windy. Sand in food was not a good thing.

"So we'll be able to hear him if he needs us." Jason leaned his head back so that he could see her.

She nodded with a smile. "Since the guards won't come up I was thinking that we could leave our suits upstairs." There were already towels in the pool house, so they could just go out and get into the warm water.

Jason put the remote control down on the coffee table and got to his feet. Instead of saying anything he simply pulled his shirt over his head. His shoes and socks were already off, so he ditched his shorts and boxer briefs.

"That's a yes?" Liz asked trying not to laugh. The man was not burdened with a lot of modesty.

"You're overdressed." Jason pointed out. "Start stripping."

"Pushy." Liz said starting with her shorts. Her top went next, then her bra, and her thong. "Ready?"

"Suddenly the pool is entirely too far away." Jason said before reaching out and pulling her closer. That swim wasn't going to happen. "I love how your skin feels against mine." He said in a husky whisper against the shell of her ear. "You are so soft."

"You feel pretty amazing too." Liz's reply was a bit breathless. Having him so close had all her systems going haywire. Her hands were running up his arms and over his shoulders. Against her stomach she could feel that he was already hard and her body responded to that. She placed a kiss at the hollow of his throat which made him moan.

Jason plunged his fingers into her hair and fisting them in the silky strands urged her mouth up to his. There wasn't anything slow or gentle about this kiss. It was filled with hunger and passion. The arm that was around her waist tightened bringing her closer still.

Liz met his passion with her own. When he started moving her back she simply let him take her over to the couch. That was when she took over turning them so that he sat on the soft chair. Taking advantage of the position she straddle his lap bringing their mouths back together again as she rose up on her knees and took him into her body.

"Fuck!" Jason grunted as he gripped her hips and helped her move. When she leaned back placing her hands on his knees he damn near growled. In this position he couldn't move without throwing Elizabeth off balance. However moving wasn't necessary because this angle was making it hard to hold back. "Baby." It was pretty much the only warning he could give her because talking was almost impossible.

Liz was close to exploding. She could feel Jason shaking and that let her know that he was right there with her. Him coming first was the goal, and she was going to get what she wanted. She tightened her core muscles around his cock and heard him groan, she did it again and felt him swell, one more time had him shouting in completion as the feel of his release pushed her over the edge as well. Done she simply slumped down on his legs. "I'm…going to…need to move…soon." She said breathing hard. That had been a really good work out, her thighs were burning.

He could figure out the issue. Her legs were now at an odd angle. He found the strength to separate them and then rolled them so that they were lying on the couch facing one another. That gave him the chance to kiss her, gentler than earlier. "I love you, in case you didn't know."

She just melted. "I know. I love you too. Just so you know." She said with a smile.

"Good." He said urging her closer. "Rest for a minute and then we'll go upstairs. We can try for that swim tomorrow."

"Sounds perfect." Liz said on a contended sigh. There was no place better than this.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	80. Chapter 80

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 80

"I want you to make your husband stop staring at me." Skye told her sister.

Liz had to bite her lower lip to keep from laughing. Skye was standing in the kitchen of the penthouse sporting a pretty impressive glare. Her boyfriend would be proud. The CEO of ELQ was at the point in her pregnancy where she was any day now. The crew as a whole was nervous, with Cody being the worst. Liz cleared her throat before speaking. "Jason promised your guy that he would keep a close eye on you while you are here. He's just keeping his word."

"A close eye does not mean just sitting there staring at me. Emily is also pregnant, and she's showing now." Skye pointed out. "Jason could very easily split the staring between the two of us."

"Her stomach isn't as big as yours. Trust me when she gets to the point you are now at, he'll be staring at her too." Liz said with a grin. "Does that make you feel better?" His sisters being pregnant made Jason nervous. He was worried that something was going to go wrong and he would lose someone he cared about. So far both women had been having textbook pregnancies, and hopefully that continued.

"No." Skye said trying not to be snippy. "Doesn't he have work to do?" She wanted to know. She had come over early to hang out with her sisters, and Michael, before the weekly family dinner. With Cody working, which on a weekend was rare, she knew he wouldnt want her sitting home alone. "Isn't there someone else who needs his attention?"

"Nope." Liz said pouring the lemonade that Emily was currently craving. The fact that it was cold outside didn't stop her from drinking copious amounts of the traditionally summertime treat. "Edward is behaving these days. He's pretty much the only hope for a distraction you have." The older man seemed to have learned his lesson, so things in that sector were quiet. Adding to the peace within the family was the fact that Alan and Monica were now gone.

Jason appeared to be correct with his prediction that Alan would call in favors to sabotage Monica's shot at the top job at General Hospital. The former Chief of Surgery had been told straight out that she wasn't even going to be a contender for the vacant position. The board told her they were taking the institution in another direction. The information came from Malcolm Barrington who happened to be close with both Alan and Edward. After that talk Monica also served notice.

"Now would be a good time for some family drama, it would keep him busy." Skye just huffed out her annoyance. "I wonder if Ned can be bribed to bring Tracy home."

"Lois would kill him if he did, besides you'd still have Cody staring at you. How are things with Hank?" Liz wanted to know.

"Do not even get me started." Skye was uncomfortable and irritable. She was ready to give birth and having the guys getting on her last nerve was not helping the situation any. "I'm going to go back to the couch before Jason comes to get me." He was doing his best to keep her still. His efforts were thwarted by the fact that her bladder was now the size of a peanut.

"Don't kill him." Liz said again trying not to laugh. "He's taking me to Italy next month."

"I make no promises." Skye said taking the glass of water Liz had on the tray and going to sit down. The thought of drinking lemonade made the pregnant woman nauseous.

Liz picked up the tray and took the remainder of the drinks into the living room. "Jason you should probably get started on dinner." The rest of their family would be heading over in a few hours for their weekly meal. They were providing the main protein. Instead of one large roast which would take forever to cook, Liz had gotten several smaller ones which would not only be ready in a shorter amount of time, but each could be prepared to a different temperature. Both Skye and Em had to have their meat well done. "I'll keep an eye on your sisters."

"I'll be in the kitchen if you need me." Jason just felt better if he could see Skye. He had no idea how Cody wasn't on the verge of nervous breakdown. After Skye gave birth then the wait would begin for Emily and Matt to have their baby.

"Thank you." Skye said enjoying this small break.

"He's going to be back out when the roasts are in the oven." Liz warned her sister. "We did most of the prep last night, so he won't be gone for long."

"Even if it's just one minute I'll take it." Skye said relaxing. "Run now Em."

The young doctor was laughing at her sister. "I'm married to a doctor so I don't think I'll get all the scrutiny you are. I'm also a doctor so they will think I have a clue about what this is all about, which isn't true." Emily said going down the list of why it wouldn't be too bad for her. "Finally they are all terrified because this is new. Once you give birth then it won't be new anymore."

"Glad I can help you." Skye said in response.

"That is what big sisters do." Emily replied with a big smile.

"Was I that chipper at that stage of my pregnancy?" Skye asked looking over at Elizabeth.

"Yes. You seemed to be enjoying the pregnancy." Liz said refilling Skye's water glass. "You were also as cute."

"On that note I'm going back to the bathroom." The redhead said fighting her way out of the couch so she could get on her feet. "Don't be chipper when I get back."

"She makes that look good." Emily said laughing. She got that Skye was just out of sorts.

"That she does." Liz said laughing as well.

* * *

She put the roast on the table. "Okay everyone." Some weeks they ate buffet style and others they ate around the table. This week they were eating at the table because it was easier on Skye. "It's dinner time." Their friends had already put their offerings on the table.

Jason put Michael in the high chair next to Elizabeth's seat. They alternated where he sat and this week their son was sitting with his mom. He gave the little boy a kiss before heading down to the other end of the dining room set where he was sitting.

Having everyone around the table just made him feel good. It was a reminder of how many people he had in his life that mattered to him. This was now the second family dinner they had each week, on Friday's they ate the Ashton home. With them in Port Charles full time they wanted to make sure Brook Lynn knew her great-grandmother. Edward hadn't yet apologized to Skye and Lois was still not letting her daughter around the old man. So Lila came to their home, along with everyone else in the family who didn't cause drama.

"Liz." Georgie's phone rang just before it was announced that dinner was ready. At the table there was a no cell phone rule, but since she wasn't there yet she checked the email that came in.

"Yeah." Liz took the device, read the message, and handed it back.

"Is everything okay?" Jason wanted to know. If Georgie was showing Elizabeth the message that meant it was work related.

"It's fine." Liz said putting it out of her mind.

"You're not going to tell them?" Georgie said taking a seat in the chair Milo was holding out. She was going to be in trouble with her boss, for like a minute, but this information should be shared.

"Tell us what?" Skye was all for anything that took the focus off her.

"It can keep." Liz said taking the mashed potatoes that were going around this end of the table. Like the roast there were multiple bowls and platters of each item.

Georgie just smirked. By that Liz meant she wasn't going to bring it up at all. She never shared this news with anyone. Nor would they find out because this wouldn't make the papers. At least not the ones in Port Charles. Now that Georgie had put out there that something was going on, Jason probably wouldn't let it go.

"Is it good news?" Skye wasn't going to let this go.

"Really good news." Georgie said grinning.

"Elizabeth?" Jason looked at his wife.

"Yeah, don't leave us hanging." Johnny added on just to cause trouble.

Liz was making sure that Michael was doing okay. He had eaten earlier but she didn't want to ignore him during the meal. Emily was sitting on his other side, so he would get plenty of attention between the two of them. "You tell them Georgie. As my assistant you handle press releases." And honestly Liz felt odd saying it, like she was bragging.

"I would be happy to share." Georgie said looking at her friends around the table. "There is a gala this evening, underway right now in fact, in New York City where awards in the comic book industry are being handed out. Felix went representing Liz, or M.O. if you'd rather. The winners of the Eisner Awards are being announced, they are the industries equivalent of the Oscars."

"Did you win something?" Jason wanted to know.

"She's won a couple of things so far." Georgie got out her phone totally breaking the rule. "Best Single Issue and Best Publication Design. They were handed out before the dinner started. That second one goes to the publishing house though. Liz is still up for Best Continuing Series, Best Writer/Artist, Best Cover Artist, and Best Colorist. Also she is up for the Will Eisner Comic of the Year award."

"Why didn't you say anything?" Jason wanted to know. Going wasn't an option, but they could celebrate her nominations if nothing else.

"I would have mentioned it once the ceremony was over." Liz hadn't said anything in prior years, but she would have shared this with Jason this time.

"Has she won any awards in past years?" Emily wanted to know.

"Liz has a closet full of awards still in their boxes over in the studio. Not just Eisners either. She's one of the most decorated series creators in the industry. She really should get a shelving unit to put them on. She's won Comic of the Year the last five years running. I'm betting she will win again this year." Georgie checked out other publications. What Liz was creating was by far the best thing out there.

Georgie was thinking that this time next year her boss would be up for even more awards because her new series was going to launch in February. Liz wanted some issues in the vault so that she had a cushion. The publishing house damn near lost their minds at the thought of another graphic novel series from their best-selling author. Felix had joked he was going to demand a unicorn as part of the advance.

"How do you get the awards?" Francis wanted to know. "I'm guessing that a giant box from the Eisner committee, or whoever, doesn't just show up."

"You would be wrong." Diane took this answer. "I get a box at the end of January with the awards in them. Felix gets them first and he sends them to me. Inside the box there is a note that says something along the lines of 'M.O. asks that you put these in storage'. I make a production of taking the box to a secure unit, which holds other boxes that are supposedly full of awards. In actuality I send the awards to Liz before taking a weighted box to the facility."

"And you just stick them in the closet?" Skye asked not really surprised. That just sounded like something Liz would do.

Elizabeth just shrugged as she looked around the table. They were short a few folks. Matt was working. Gia was also at the hospital having been called in for an emergency surgery. They were also missing Renaldo and Nadine. The couple were spending a long weekend on Jason's island. They were still going strong.

"I'll call a crew and they can put some shelves here in the house." Jason wanted to see her awards.

"Not here in the house. I can't." Liz said laughing at herself. "Put the shelves in Georgie's office." But she got Jason's unspoken message. They could go over tomorrow and she would show him the awards.

"I'll need sunblock from the light that's going to reflect off of all that metal. Probably sunglasses too." Georgie was laughing as well. "Have someone call me next week and I'll let them know when they can come up. Or maybe we should wait until we move to our offices." That was happening after the New Year.

"That's probably for the best." Liz told her friend. The house construction was underway. The exterior was complete and it looked like by the end of spring the Morgan's would be moving in. Elizabeth decided that she was going to work from home full time. Which meant they needed to find space for Georgie because she didn't want to stay in penthouse two. Diane was able to help with that. In fact the attorney's suggestion was pretty much perfect.

Diane had a four story building where her firm was housed. Her office and Claire's office were both on the top floor with all the associates and support staff on the lower floors. That left most of the upper floor empty. There was a large sunny office, with several small offices nearby. Georgie was taking the larger office and getting a new title, Business Operations Manager. She was going to be running everything with the help of her new executive assistant Sabrina, who had already been working in the building on Diane's staff.

The move kept Georgie, and all of Liz's files, somewhere secure. The office wasn't too far away so it wouldn't be that long of a commute. Georgie joked that Ian would finally have something to do because he would be driving her in and bringing her home most days.

"I wonder if that's a business expense you can write off? We need to ask Bernie or Benny." Liz joked. "If I promise to give everyone a full run down of what I possibly win can we let this go?"

"Absolutely." Jason said getting everyone to move on. He and his lovely, and talented, wife could discuss this later.

"Skye when does your nanny start?" Liz wanted to know.

"She is arriving tomorrow." Skye and Cody had been approved for a Norland nanny of their own. Summer was excited to come to America, and Nadine was going to show her the ropes including how security worked. "She'll be staying here in the building so I'm sure you'll see her around."

"We will do our best to welcome her." Liz said with a grin.

Skye went to answer when a sharp pain moved across her abdomen. "Ow."

"What's wrong?" Jason was on his feet and by her side in a heartbeat.

"Braxton Hicks." Skye said sending him back to his seat before urging everyone else to sit back down. "I've been having them off and on for the past couple of weeks." More often the past couple of days. She planned on mentioning this at her doctor's appointment later in the week. Putting down her napkin she got to her feet for another trip to the bathroom when she felt moisture run down her leg. "Uh."

"What?" Emily motioned for Jason to stay put, but she did come around the table.

"I think my water just broke." Skye said as another pain tore across her belly. "Yeah. I think someone should call Cody." And that was enough to incite panic.

* * *

The ladies took over because the guys were pretty much useless. Liz gave Michael to his father which assured Jason would not get in the way. Emily and Liz got their sister down to the garage where Hank and Marco were waiting for them.

In the car they kept Skye calm and made sure Cody was en route to the hospital. By the time that they reached Mercy, because like her siblings Skye got her medical care there, Kelly was waiting. A quick exam followed before the soon to be mommy was taken up to a room.

* * *

"She's upstairs, with Em." Liz was waiting with Marco for their friend to arrive. "Kelly said everything is looking good."

"Thanks." Cody said trying to hold it together. Jason had told him he could have the day off, but he had gone to work because Cody knew he was getting on Skye's nerves. He just couldn't help it. The plan was for him to pick her up after dinner, but apparently their daughter had other ideas. "Thanks."

"No worries. Good luck." She said as the doors opened and he ran out. "Come on let's go sit with everyone else and wait to find out who won the pool."

* * *

"She's so beautiful." Liz was holding her goddaughter. The baby was sleeping through this visit but every so often she made the cutest little sounds.

"How did she do on her APGARs?" Emily wanted to know as she took her niece. They were currently breaking two rules. There were four visitors in the room, if you counted Cody. They also had Michael with them. Liz took the little boy from Jason so he was free to hold the baby when Emily was done.

"All nines." Skye said wiping away tears. She had been crying since the baby came almost an hour ago.

"Name?" Jason was looking at his niece, and goddaughter, over his sister's shoulder.

"Lila Rae Paul." Skye said with a smile. Their grandmother had been the first visitor in and had given her blessing to the name. Skye also wanted to honor the mother she hadn't ever met.

"Beautiful." Liz thought there couldn't be a better way to honor the woman they all loved.

"Great timing on the nanny hire." Jason said getting a chance to hold the baby. "Paulie is going to be with your nanny, and Adam is going to be with the baby."

"That's fine." Cody had his fingers linked with his girlfriend. It had been a long twelve hours, but his daughter was here. Both she and her mom were doing great. "I won't be in tomorrow."

"I kind of guessed." Jason gave the baby to her mother. Earlier Liz had taken pictures of Lila Rae in her bassinet because Skye asked for them to wait to include her in the photos.

"Since everyone is here I wanted to tell you what Cody and I decided about Edward." Skye looked at her siblings. She hadn't spoken with Alan before he left. Mainly to keep her blood pressure down. With him out of town it was not an issue, but their grandfather was still here. "He won't be a part of Lila Rae's life. I can't have that." Her voice shook towards the end. "I can't ever trust him, or Alan, again." She said making her opinion on their father clear.

"We understand and support both those decisions." Emily spoke for her and Matt. "I will admit I'm still trying to wrap my brain around what Dad did."

Skye nodded and smiled at her sister. "Make your choice based on your relationship with Alan. You don't have to do the same thing that we have." They would still love their sister no matter what she decided.

"What she said." Jason told Emily. He turned to Skye. "We respect and support your decision." He said pulling Elizabeth and Michael closer. "We are not going to let Edward or Alan around our son either." That would extend to future children as well. They had just done too much damage. "Call Polluzo's and order dinner." Jason said getting them onto a lighter topic as Skye yawned.

"We should go. Get some rest, and call if you need anything. I'll check in on Summer after she arrives." Liz said giving her sister a quick kiss to the cheek.

"Thanks." Skye was fading fast as she got kisses from Em and Jason too. "Night guys."

"That baby is so cute." Emily said as they walked out into the hall. She wanted to keep the happy going. Everything else could wait for another day.

"I see some serious spoiling happening." Liz couldn't wait to have them over to the penthouse so she could love on her niece.

"We'll take you home." Jason told his sister as he called for the elevator. Their family had grown, and they still had more good things to look forward to.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	81. Chapter 81

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 81

Elizabeth was standing on the balcony of her hotel room looking at the ocean. The Mediterranean was not a body of water she had seen in person before this trip. It was a deeper blue than either the Pacific or the Atlantic. It was also moody, she thought to herself which made her laugh. When they checked in the concierge told them that the waters this time of year were not ideal for sailing, a popular past time in this part of the world. They were advised that a trip back in the spring or summer would need to be arranged if that was of interest. Jason assured the concierge they were fine, and on the elevator ride up he told her it wouldn't be a problem to return to experience that.

It was warmer here than back home, but not as warm as it would be in California. It felt wonderful to be outside in early December in only a light sweater. Liz had the covering on because it was just a little too chilly to be in a t-shirt alone. Even last night when they arrived it hadn't been cold despite the sun being down. Tonight they were going out, and she wasn't even going to bother with a wrap she had packed or the coat she had worn over.

Tomorrow they were doing some sightseeing and she had a list of places that she wanted to visit. In preparation for this trip she had spent some time with Jason's collection of travel guides. The region had so much to offer and she wanted to experience everything. They were being joined by her parents, who were flying over from Germany. Her mother swore the acceptance of the invitation didn't have a thing to do with the fact that Michael was on this trip. Liz wasn't buying it. She was also wondering how many things her mother was bringing for her grandson. Her parents had honored their declaration that they would be sending items regularly.

However today and tonight were all about business. Jason's business. At the moment her husband was in meetings with Maximus Giambetti. Jason had Francis, Diane, and Renaldo with him. Her hubby would be back in about an hour to rest a bit before they had to leave for the business dinner. Nadine would be with Michael while they were out.

Elizabeth felt a little bad for Jason because he wasn't going to get a lot of time with their son today. Tomorrow he had to share the little boy with his grandparents, so tomorrow night she would make sure her guy had some uninterrupted time with their son. It was bath night and after she set the water temperature she would make herself scarce so they could hang out.

Peeking into the nursery that had been set up in their suite she saw that her little guy was still napping. He was doing well with the time change so far. Hopefully that would continue when they got back home. Nadine did say that Michael's sleep schedule would be disrupted no matter what, but that some babies handled international travel better than others. They would just have to wait and see how he did. The trip from England didn't tell them much because he slept most of the day at that age anyway.

The doorbell rang and she looked out the peephole to find a member of the concierge staff in the hall. When she opened the door she could see that Marco was standing in the doorway to his room, so she gave her friend a smile. "Grazie." Liz reached in her pocket and handed over a tip as she took the garment bag. Inside were Jason's suit, dress shirt, and her dress for the evening. They needed to be pressed.

The young man nodded before moving back to the elevator. Liz waited until he was gone before speaking. "Have you heard from the crew?" Jason would call when the meeting was over, but Marco might have some inside information.

"No." Marco could feel nerves coming off of her. He knew Jason would have taken the time to make sure she understood how things worked since this was Liz's first business trip. The only problem was that no one knew exactly why Jason had been summoned to Italy so her nerves couldn't be completely assuaged. "It's not uncommon for meetings like this to take all day. Sometimes even multiple days. If you want to go out for a walk, its fine." Maybe she could burn off some nervous energy.

"I'm good thanks." Liz let him know. They had been out most of the day. She and Nadine had fun letting Marco and Milo play tour guide. This was Lee's first visit to Italy so he got to be a tourist for a bit as well. "Thank you again for this morning. It was wonderful to see some of the more hidden gems." They saw things most tourist overlooked.

"No problem. Milo and I are both really proud of our home. We can talk for hours about it." Marco said laughing.

"I'll keep that in mind for tomorrow. I'm sure my mother will have many questions. She's like me that way." Liz was grinning as she waved to the guard before going back into the suite. She would have a bath and relax while waiting for her husband to return.

* * *

Jason walked into the silent suite and kicked off his shoes. He hated spending all day in meetings. It didn't happen very often, and it never happened in Port Charles. What made it even more irritating was that he had his family with him on this trip. He wanted to spend some time with them today. The business dinner he was taking Elizabeth to later didn't count because they were going to be part of a large group. In fact this entire trip was being crashed because his in-laws were arriving tomorrow.

When they got back to Port Charles he was going to talk his wife into locking everyone else out for a couple of days. Trying to curb his clearly selfish streak didn't even occur to him. Sticking his head in his son's room he was greeted with the sight of Michael and Elizabeth on a blanket having playtime.

"Daddy's home." Liz told their son while smiling at her hubby.

"Having fun?" Jason asked walking over and taking a seat so that Michael was between them.

"We are." Liz had packed the blanket Skye gave them so that Michael would have something familiar in the room besides his toys. The baby was sitting up on his own these days. Each milestone just made Elizabeth more grateful that he was healthy. Dr. Adair had given him a clean bill of health at the visit just before this trip.

"When did he start doing that?" Jason asked amazed when Michael leaned forward and started to rock on his hands and knees.

"About ten minutes ago." Liz was hoping their son would do this while Jason was watching. She had recorded it just in case the baby didn't. So far they had both been home each time Michael reached a new milestone. "I don't think he'll be crawling anytime soon, but he is figuring out how his body works more each day." As they watched he went down to his belly and rolled to his back. He was kicking his legs and laughing clearly pleased with himself.

"He's getting so big." Jason placed a hand on his son's tummy and was rewarded with a wide smile. His eyes were still the bright brilliant hue they had been when he arrived and since he was almost seven months old that wasn't going to change. "Did you enjoy seeing some of Palermo?" Jason asked his son. "What about you? Did you enjoy your day out?"

"I had a wonderful time. I took some pictures which I will share with you when we get home." Liz would explain them to him then. "I'm looking forward to you showing me some of your favorite places."

"We can do that tomorrow if there is time. You seeing what you have on your list is more important." Jason watched Michael roll to his tummy again. Unable to hold back any longer Jason picked up the small child and put him on his lap. "The business portion of the trip will be over after dinner ends."

"We understand." Liz didn't want him to feel guilty about working. Here or at home.

"Maximus has given me Rochester and Buffalo." Jason explained why he had been asked to come to Palermo. "He also invited me to sit on the council of families."

"Congratulations." Liz leaned forward and gave him a lingering kiss. Before sitting down again she kissed the top of Michael's head. "What does that mean exactly?"

Jason laughed a little. "It means I have all of upstate New York. I've been shipping items for Maximus for months now with no issues. I've also never been a pain in the butt, so it isn't really that surprising he would want to reward me for those things. I have the strongest organization in the country, adding those territories only makes me stronger. I didn't see the seat on the council coming though. You don't usually get that invitation at my age."

"Did you accept?" Elizabeth would support whatever his decision was.

"Yes, this is a huge honor. It's also not something you say no to." Jason explained with a small smile.

"Is there a term limit to how long you are on the council?" Liz was fine with this, because he was.

"As long as I'm a boss I'll be on the council. When I retire, or die whichever comes first, then someone else gets appointed." Jason further explained. "We get to come back to Palermo twice a year for meetings." They did not hide from the fact that his job wasn't always safe. "Which means you can see your parents more often." As long as it was safe his family would always travel with him, until it was time for Michael to start school. Jason was just going to have to learn how to be separated from his son for a few nights, because no matter what he wanted Elizabeth with him on these trips.

"I'd like that, and I know they will as well." Liz was proud that others were recognizing how great Jason was at what he did. "We can celebrate your good news later. Now you need to get in the shower, I had a bath earlier so I just need to get dressed. I'll call Nadine and ask her to come get the munchkin."

"Okay. We'll hang out more tomorrow Michael, I promise." Jason kissed his son before getting to his feet. Hopefully the dinner wouldn't last too long so that he and Elizabeth could come back to their suite and have some private time.

* * *

"You are going to turn heads when we walk into the restaurant." Jason said when Elizabeth came into the living room. He was always so proud to have her on his arm. "When did you get this?"

"I didn't." Liz said laughing. "Dominique sent it over from the last Deception photo shoot. They didn't end up using it and she was going to give it back to the designer. She changed her mind because she thought I might look good in it. When a former supermodel offers you fashion advice you take it. I thought this would be lovely for my first meeting with the Giambettis."

The pink fit and flare dress was eye catching for sure. It was sleeveless with a modest V neckline, and a pleated skirt. What kept it from being boring was the bold black and grey floral print. Using that design feature as a starting point she paired it with black floral lace heels. She finished the look with the diamond studs Jason gave her for her birthday.

"We clean up good." Jason said looking at them in the mirror. He was in a tailored black suit with a burgundy neck tie. Pretty much all the guys would be in dark colors. It was always the ladies who shined bright at these gatherings. Tonight he went with a Trinity knot in his tie, because Elizabeth enjoyed seeing the different ways he could wear the column of silk.

"We do." Liz concurred meeting his gaze in the mirror. "Let's head out, if we stand here too long I'll jump you." She said with a smirk. "Something tells me that this isn't an occasion we can miss."

"You are so bad, putting that in my head before we leave." He said giving her a look as he sent a message to the guys that they were ready.

Liz dropped him a wink and headed for the door. Now he would be thinking about that all night, which would help him not be too irritated at the dinner.

* * *

"There's my girl." Carolyn squeezed her daughter tight. She let her youngest child go and then arched a brow. "I'm so angry with you." The older woman planted her hands on her hips and gave her daughter a look. "Fifty awards Libby. Where you ever going to say anything?"

Jeff came in chuckling. He extended a hand to Jason. "How are you?"

"Good sir, and you?" Jason took the bag that his father in-law was holding. Since they had their own room this wouldn't be luggage. It was probably gifts for Michael. "Would you like to see the baby?"

"I can be polite and talk to you for a few minutes." Jeff said with a grin. He was very much enjoying being a grandad.

"Your wife is occupied, so you can get him to yourself for a few minutes. We can talk later." Jason pointed out.

"Lead the way." Jeff respected that, Jason wasn't one for small talk. He had come really like the quiet young man his daughter had married.

Liz watched her dad walk out of the main room with Jason and turned to smile at her mom.

"Don't try that with me Libby." Carolyn was fighting off a grin. She was so proud of her baby girl. "Why didn't you share your news?"

"You and daddy raised us not to brag." Liz started there. "Plus I don't need something shiny to justify my work. The only awards I really like are the ones they give out at the various Comic Cons." Those were from the fans and they were the only awards she was putting in her new studio at the house. "It's not like you can brag about it to your friends."

"Elizabeth Imogene." Carolyn arched her brow again. "We could have gushed and told you how proud we were."

"You do that anyway." Liz said being chipper.

"Smartass." Carolyn just shook her head. "You get that from your dad. Take me to my grandson."

"Michael's room is this way. I'm not even going to point out that you showed up, yelled at me, and then threw me over for my son." Liz said in mock annoyance. "I feel the love." She was loving having her mom here.

"Now you know how your Gram made me feel whenever she came over." Carolyn said making herself laugh as they went to the nursery. "Give me the baby." She told her husband holding out her arms. "You are just the cutest baby ever." Carolyn cooed over Michael who just grinned and lapped it up.

"Jeff, can I speak with you?" Jason asked his father in-law. With Carolyn occupied this was a good time.

"Sure." Jeff followed Jason out to the balcony. He knew what this talk was going to be about. "Steven?"

"Bobby said that your son has been frequenting a local casino. Steven's not doing any betting yet, but if he keeps this up it's only a matter of time." Jason wasn't sure if Jeff knew about the trips to the gambling establishment. "Since this is what led to him being used as a pawn in the plot to take Michael its best if this behavior is nipped in the bud now." Jeff and Carolyn learned what their son had come to Port Charles to do shortly after Steven's move.

"We are aware of what is going on. Steven actually came to us a few days ago and admitted he was struggling." Jeff nodded as he leaned his arms on the table they were sitting at. "The program we put him in is set up to handle relapses. Before we left to come here I met with the director and the mentor that they are assigning to Steven. For now he'll be getting around the clock support. He'll be driven to work, and picked up. He'll have dinner with his mentor, when he doesn't eat with us." Steven was still working on his relationship with his mother, but he and his dad were in a much better place.

"Basically he won't ever be alone." Jason wasn't sure how smart that was. Once the crutch was removed it would be easy to relapse again. Steven needed to learn to control his own behavior.

"For now, yes. He's also in therapy. The number of times he's going is getting increased. When the doctor says it's okay the mentor's presence in Steven's life will start to be decreased. They've had a lot of success with this program, and Steven wants to try so we will." Jeff was treating his son like an adult. "I think the problem is that my son doesn't have anything in his life at the moment but work." He was an orderly at the hospital where Jeff practiced. "He needs friends."

Jason was worried that Jeff was about to say that what Steven needed was Elizabeth's forgiveness. She wasn't ready for that and Jason wasn't going to let anyone try to force her into it. "My brother, AJ, said that being bored was the worst thing that could happen to an addict."

"I can't fix that for my son. He needs to make the choice to get out and engage in life." Jeff was trying not to be frustrated by what he saw as his son's refusal to even attempt to correct his life. Steven wasn't making any effort to engage with the people around him. Jeff had worried his son was depressed, but the therapist said that wasn't the case. Steven just wasn't trying. "How long will you give him to get this right?"

"As long as he stays away from my family he can have all the time in the world." Jason made that clear. "Bobby is only there to make sure Steven follows my rules."

Jeff nodded and looking over Jason's shoulder smiled. "Are you guys ready to head out?" It was time to shelve this conversation. He would let his son in-law decide what Libby needed to know.

"We are." Liz looked at her husband and he gave her a smile. She could guess what they had talked about. That topic would be put aside until later. "Mom is waiting by the door. She has called dibs on pushing the stroller first."

"Of course Carrie did. She needs to learn to share." Jeff just laughed as he went to find his wife and grandson.

Jason kissed Elizabeth before they walked into the suite to start the first day of the visit.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	82. Chapter 82

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 82

He waited until they were on the plane back home to bring up his talk with her dad. If asked Jason would have said that Elizabeth already knew what they two of them had talked about. "Do you want me to tell you what your father said about your brother?" Up until now she hadn't wanted any information. Weekly reports on Steven came across Cody's desk which was how Jason knew what his brother in-law was doing.

"I don't know." Liz said being honest. "The fact that my father wanted to talk in private lets me know that it's not good news." She didn't prohibit her parents from talking about Steven, but they did keep it to a minimum. "I don't want to hear about how my feelings are prohibiting him from getting better. I did my part to help him, and he betrayed me." Yeah, she was still angry.

"Whether or not Steven gets his life back under control doesn't have anything to do with your feelings. Or it shouldn't." Jason gave Elizabeth his opinion. "I think that was your brother's problem the first time around. When he was at the warehouse he mentioned getting better because he felt like he owed it to you. He got sober because you wanted him to not die." They had the room Steven was in wired and he talked to himself a lot. Jason wasn't sure Elizabeth knew this. "What I've learned from having three siblings who battled addiction is that's a recipe for disaster."

"He admitted he had a problem." Liz was there when he did.

"Admitting he had a problem, and committing to a life free from addiction are two different things. He stopped drinking for you. That doesn't work. What he needs to do is get to the root of his problems which he never did." Jason learned all this supporting first AJ and then Emily as they got sober. "I don't think he could do that without your parents around because they are a big part of the problem. His guilt over Sarah is another piece of the puzzle."

"Sarah's death wasn't his fault." Liz still believed that. She would always believe that. Her anger didn't cloud her feelings on that issue.

"He doesn't feel that way." Jason took his wife's hand in his. "He needs to work through that, and he along with your parents need to figure out their relationship. He also has to work on his relationship with himself."

"Do you think if after he wades through all that crap he'll still be struggling because I'm angry with him?" Liz wanted Jason's opinion.

"No. When he left Port Charles he understood why you were angry. He understood that he was the one who destroyed your relationship." Jason finished talking and waited to see if Elizabeth had anything to say.

"What is he doing?" She wanted to know.

"He's struggling with the gambling." Jason shared what Jeff and Bobby reported. "It sounds like your brother is still in self-destruct mode. I think he's still trying to punish himself for what happened to your sister." Jason really believed that all this went back to Sarah's death. "Steven is in a program designed to help him, he's getting support."

"I still see him as a potential threat to our family. I don't know if that will ever change." Liz said out loud what was keeping her from reaching out to her brother.

"That won't ever change for me. Not even for you can I change how I feel about that." Jason said being honest. "I still will support you having a relationship with him. If you want." She was strong enough to reach her own conclusion on this matter.

Liz didn't say anything, instead she shifted over so that she could put her head on Jason's shoulder. Inside she already knew her reply to that. There would be no relationship with her brother ever again. She had already started the work necessary so that she would be able to let go of this anger and hurt. She needed it gone. She had an appointment with her therapist next week and they would talk about what Jason just shared. Taking a deep breath Liz let it out slow as she snuggled closer to her husband. She was tired of carrying all this around, it was tiring. The fact that she had Jason's support, no matter what, made this easier to bear.

Jason tightened his arm around his wife before kissing the top of her head. She was struggling, but he knew that she would find balance as well as the answers she needed. He would be beside her every step of the way while she did.

* * *

They got home and spent a few days adjusting to being back on Port Charles time. Well Elizabeth did because Jason didn't feel jet lag. Once she was feeling herself again the family set out to get a Christmas tree. "We are cutting it close." Liz said as they walked around the lot. "What do you want in a tree?" This was their first holiday as married couple, and as parents.

"Bristles." Jason said with a smirk. "Not one of those sad things you usually buy." He didn't understand why every year she spent money on what was basically a stick.

"Don't make fun of my trees." Liz said giving him a look. "They are cute."

"They are begging to be put out of their misery. It should be illegal to pass them off as trees." Jason said trying not to laugh. Last year's specimen had been the worst one yet. The thing was pretty much bald by the time Christmas rolled around. "This is Michael's first Christmas, everyone's going to be taking pictures. We need a nice big tree in the background." This would be the first year ever that Jason had a tree in the penthouse. Normally he didn't bother to decorate because he wasn't home most of the time. Someone in the crew hosted a dinner pretty much every night leading up to New Year's Eve. This year they were having everyone over on Christmas Eve before their friends left for midnight Mass. They would be going to church earlier in the night with Lila, if she was up to it, and other members of the family.

"True." Liz said looking around. She loved the little trees that would normally get left behind, but she wanted this Christmas to be the best ever. For Michael and Jason both. "We should get a Douglas Fir. That's what Cody and Skye had." They hosted on Christmas Eve last year and their tree was beautiful. "I think Johnny and Gia had one too." They took Christmas Day brunch for anyone who didn't go out of town.

"Do we have enough ornaments?" Jason was actually enjoying shopping for all the trimmings. Having a family made the holiday something he looked forward to. He had enjoyed hunting down the perfect gifts for Elizabeth and Michael.

"We have plenty." Liz assured him as they walked between the trees looking for the perfect one. "I went to Wyndhams, and Lila sent some over as well." Their grandmother had gifted them some family heirlooms that would one day be passed down to Michael and his siblings. Emily, Skye, and Ned had received ornaments as well. "What about this one?"

"What do you think Michael?" Jason looked at his son who was snug in his stroller. Him being cold was not a worry. "Do you like this one?"

"I'll take his silence to be acceptance." Elizabeth leaned over and smiled at her son. He smiled in return. "We'll wait here while you go get the attendant."

"Okay. I'll be right back." Jason got a kiss before heading to the front of the lot with Rory trailing him.

"Do you have a tree yet Marco?" Elizabeth asked her guard.

"I got mine yesterday." He let her know. "Sabrina helped me pick one out." He finished with a boyish grin.

"Really? How on earth did I miss that?" Liz wanted to know. This news was surprising.

"See what happens when you move your staff out of the Towers." Marco said with a wide smile. "Now you are the last one to get information."

"How serious are things?" Liz liked the two of them together. Sabrina was really nice. It felt a little odd to hang out with her because she had no idea who M.O. Gene really was.

"It's early yet, but I have a good feeling about things." Marco told his friend. "I wanted to tell you that we are seeing one another because I don't want you to worry that I'm going to say something I shouldn't." He was aware that Sabrina didn't know that she worked for Liz.

"I trust you Marco." Liz assured the guard. Looking over she saw Jason coming back. "Bring her to dinner."

"Thanks. I'd like that." Marco wouldn't have done so without an invitation. As a result he had skipped the last couple to hang out with Sabrina.

"Who's coming to dinner?" Jason asked as their tree was tied up.

"Sabrina." Liz looked over at Marco and grinned.

"Congrats. She's nice." Jason shook his friend's hand. "All set?" He asked the attendant. The young kid nodded, the tree was paid for, and they headed to the car.

* * *

"Renaldo, how did this happen?" Liz asked the enforcer. It was Christmas Eve and she was in the mall. Jason was impossible to get gifts for and it had taken her until a few weeks ago to figure out what to get him. This part of the gift didn't come in until this morning. She could have sent a runner, but she was too impatient to wait. It looked beautiful on the website and she wanted to see it first.

"Jason is a pain to buy things for. I don't know that from personal experience because he doesn't want gifts from us guys. I've heard Skye say it, and Carly used to say it too." Renaldo knew why Liz was just now picking something up. What she had gotten was surprising, it hinted at his boss being interested in something Renaldo never would have even guessed.

"Why haven't you gotten Nadine's gift before now? She doesn't strike me as someone who you would need to struggle to come up with a gift idea for. Anything you give her she will love." Liz had gotten her nanny a very nice leather tote. Nadine had commented on Skye's a few months back.

"I like to shop on Christmas Eve." Renaldo admitted before laughing at the face she was making.

"You look so normal too." Liz just shook her head. "Thanks for coming out with me." He volunteered, and she was guessing he did so because of the need to shop. That meant Marco didn't have to be miserable too.

"It was a totally self-serving move." Renaldo could admit that. "I wanted a second opinion on the gift I got. It was either you or O'Brien. I'm pretty sure he would have shot someone by now." The enforcer said laughing. They were done and heading back to the car. "Are you sure you don't want me to carry that." It didn't sit right with him that she was lugging that big box, even if it did have a handle.

"I have it, but thank you." Liz didn't mind. "The light at the end of the tunnel beckons." She was being dramatic as she pointed to the door. They would be out of the crush of shoppers which would relax Renaldo and Liam who was backing him up today. There were just too many people to have one guard.

Escape was near which was why Edward Quartermaine walked out of a store between them and the exit. "Elizabeth." The older man hadn't seen her in person since the day of the custody hearing. From time to time she appeared in the paper, and he had hoped for a glimpse of Michael but that wasn't happening. The guards were very good at blocking photographers. Edward didn't know any of his great-grandchildren, and he had no one to blame but himself. "How are you?"

"Fine, and yourself?" Liz wasn't going to be rude. A long conversation wouldn't be happening though.

"I'm good." Edward said with a grin. "How is Jason?"

"Fine." Liz answered surprised he even asked. She didn't need to ask about Lila as she just saw her grandmother yesterday. He opened his mouth and she put up her hand. "Don't do it. Let's just quit while we are ahead. I'm going to go, and you are going to let me. Have a nice Christmas Edward." She said before starting for the door. He was going to ask about Michael, she could see it in his eyes.

"Was he about to bring up Michael?" Renaldo asked wondering if some people just didn't learn.

"Picked up on that did you?" Liz said with a smirk. "Yeah, he was. Lila said that the family would take a mile if you gave them an inch. I think he felt because I didn't just slap him that we are in a better place. Which we aren't." She and her therapist had briefly discussed Edward during their first session. There were plans to talk about him in depth after talking about Steven. Living in the same city meant they would run into one another, again. Even with the closer proximity she was thinking Edward would be easier to put behind her than Steven. "Let's swing by the coffee house. I've earned a hot chocolate."

"Okay. I need to pick up some for my place anyway." Renaldo was looking forward to having Nadine stay over and like Liz she drank hot chocolate year round. They were still keeping separate units because she sometimes watched Michael in her apartment. He was hoping that next year they might be living together. He wouldn't mind having the little boy hang out.

* * *

"You look pretty." Jason wrapped his arms around his wife and gave her a slow kiss.

"Thank you. Red is a traditional Christmas color so I thought this would be a great outfit for tonight. Especially since Skye will probably be in green. Em could go with either color because she looks good in both." The jersey knit dress in deep red had cap sleeves and a low scooped neck. It came to her knees making it perfect for church with a light sweater. On her feet were knee high black boots, and in her ears were the earrings Lila gifted her.

Liz leaned against her husband and let him sway her slightly to the music that was playing. She's had holiday tunes on shuffle for the past few weeks. Michael really seem to like the songs. "You look handsome as well. I love you in this shade of blue."

"I know, that's why I have so many shirts in this color." Jason replied with a sly grin. He was in a pale blue button down and navy pants. "I also really like the boots." He told her bobbing his eye brows.

"I thought you might." Liz had been definitely thinking of him when she picked them up. "Are you feeling better?" He had been annoyed when she came home and told him about running into Edward. Jason didn't get upset that they crossed paths, he understood that avoiding the old man couldn't happen completely. He had been frowning because Edward had the nerve to try to start a conversation.

"I'm going to let it go. Edward has trouble with rules. I'll be telling the guys that he can't get that close again." Jason didn't think Renaldo had messed up. The enforcer took his cues from Elizabeth, who clearly had the situation under control. She was more than a match for Edward.

"Good." She gave him a quick kiss. "We don't need his energy crashing our night." This would be the last holiday gathering they had in the penthouse. Next Christmas they would be in their house.

"No, we don't." Jason agreed with his beautiful wife.

"It's time to get going." They were meeting Skye, Cody, Emily, and Matt for the early evening mass. Lila wasn't feeling up to coming out due to the cold weather. This was the children's service which meant it would be shorter. After this they were coming home and setting up for the party. "Grab the kid." Michael was awake, he was in a black and white sleeper that made his father crack a joke about prison stripes.

"Let me help you into your coat first." Jason said grabbing her outer garment and holding it open.

* * *

"I love Queen of Angels at Christmas time." Skye remarked looking up at the stained glass windows. Religion wasn't a big part of her life growing up. The Chandlers generally went to church only on major holidays. She didn't start regularly attending church until Cody invited her to come with him one Sunday. Much to her surprise she found the rituals within the sacred space to be very comforting. Lila Rae had been baptized here not that long ago. It was a wonderful day filled with family.

"There is something about the Christmas hymns echoing throughout the nave that always gives me goosebumps." Liz told her sister. Michael was standing on her lap looking around, Lila Rae was sleeping peacefully. When the little boy started to bounce Liz knew Jason was returning. His phone rang right after they arrived. Cody was with him.

"Emily and Matt aren't coming. They are skipping dinner as well." Jason explained after taking a seat. Michael leaned over indicating he wanted to be on his dad's lap. In about five minutes he would want to go back to his mother.

"Is she spending the evening with Alan and Monica?" Skye wanted to know. Their parents were back in Port Charles. She had no intention of stopping by to see Alan, but Monica had been invited to have a visit with Lila Rae if she wished.

"Matt said they are staying home. He's a lousy liar because when I asked if everything was okay, he replied that Em was just tired." Jason looked at his wife.

"We'll go check on her after the service." Liz said patting his knee. "Everyone will understand us starting the party late." Family came before anything else. "If something is wrong we can get someone to host in our place while we deal with it. I ran into Edward earlier. I wonder if that was an omen."

"No comment." Skye said in a rather dry voice. "I don't want to get struck down by lightening in church."

Cody just laughed. "I don't think it works that way. Even if it did I'm pretty sure you have more than enough credit stockpiled to say a few truths about Edward."

"I think we all have more than enough credit stockpiled for that." Liz muttered as the organ began playing and everyone got to their feet. That was the signal to push those thoughts aside. She wanted to enjoy the holiday service with her guys.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	83. Chapter 83

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

Not Safe For Work

* * *

Chapter 83

Matt opened the door to his siblings through marriage. That they were all on his porch wasn't that surprising. He couldn't have been very convincing when talking to Jason on the phone just over an hour ago. Life in Port Charles had shown him that they were tight and when one was in trouble or hurting the others dropped everything to offer assistance. "She's in the living room."

"Is the baby okay?" Skye started there.

"Yeah, if that was the issue I would have said something. We just had an office visit, they are both good." Matt took that worry off of everyone. He was happy they stopped by, he wanted Em to go to the penthouse. She needed to be surrounded by family. If she wanted some space everyone would respect that, but he thought being with their friends and family would make her feel better.

"You want to give us any hints?" Jason asked his brother in-law.

"It's best if you hear this from Em. She was planning to wait until the holidays were over before bringing it up." Matt told the group.

"That sounds ominous." Liz handed her coat to Jason. "I have a feeling family drama is about to hit again." With all their outerwear in the closet they moved deeper in the house. "Hi." Liz smiled because Em was absolutely adorable with that round tummy.

"Hey." Emily was hoping that she had a couple of days before they came over. She should have known better. "Mom and dad are leaving Port Charles tomorrow night. They won't be back." She just put it out there. Earlier there had been tears at once again being lied to, now there was just anger.

"What happened?" Jason wanted to know. That was the last thing he was expecting to hear. Emily was excited for Monica to see her baby bump.

"Let me amend that statement." Emily said taking a deep breath to control her temper. "They won't be back to visit with any of us. They will come home to visit with Grandmother and Grandfather." Emily had severed ties with her parents before walking out of the mansion after a very contentious conversation. "I'm fine. Pissed, but fine."

Skye looked at her sister. "Did you finally talk to Alan about what he did?" Like her Em refused to talk about it when everything hit the fan. Time to process was needed. Skye still hadn't had a face to face talk about this, nor did she ever expect to. Alan was not someone who was worth her time or energy.

"No, I didn't want to fight while they were here over the holidays. He was wrong I'm not ignoring that. I just don't need the stress." She was putting her baby first, which everyone would totally understand. "I was talking with Mom. We were chatting about the baby. She said they were excited about having another grandchild that they could get to know. Mom committed a Freudian slip. She didn't even realize it until I spoke up." Emily just shook her head.

"What did she say?" Jason tried to urge his sister over to the couch. He wanted her off her feet. It didn't work though.

"She said they were excited and looking forward to coming home when I gave birth. That after the mess they made with Skye came to light this wasn't an opportunity they thought they would get because they expected me to side with my sister." Emily explained what Monica had said. Emily wouldn't ever forget any of this conversation. "I thought she was lumping herself in with dad out of solidarity. I pointed out the mess was on Dad and Grandfather not her. The deer in the headlights look was pretty much all I needed to realize she hadn't misspoke."

"She knew." Skye just shook her head in disgust. "So the anger about me showing up was an act?"

"No, it was very real because you weren't ever supposed to be here." Emily put her hands on her hips. "She told Dad that if he brought you home she was divorcing him. Dad went to Grandfather for advice, and everything spun out from there. All she knew was that you were placed with a good family and wouldn't ever show up in Port Charles. She didn't know about your first set of parents, but that doesn't make it any better. You should have been here with us. She had no right to demand you be sent away. I told Mom it would be for the best if she and Dad left sooner rather than later." Emily made it clear she wasn't budging until she had the entire story. It was like yanking teeth, but in the end she wore her mother down.

"Well, on the positive side we've run out of family members to pull into this issue." Skye said brightly. She wasn't even hurt. She was beyond being hurt, or surprised, at this point.

"We haven't heard from Tracy yet." Jason wasn't even surprised by this newest development. Although back then she was involved in her own problems so he was thinking his aunt wasn't paying attention to her brother.

"I actually felt bad for Monica when she left with Alan. I thought him going behind her back to make sure she didn't get the Chief of Staff job was low." Liz covered Emily's hand with hers. Alan probably didn't even have to do that though. He probably just told Monica their secret was out. "I guess karma had just been waiting for the chance to pounce. We need to be done with this."

"We are." Emily told her siblings. "I told Mom to come clean. That I was over this. She swore to me that it was just her, Dad, and Grandfather involved. I actually believe her. Maybe I'm being naïve, or maybe I'm with Liz in that I want this to be over, but I think this really is it."

"The perfect way to celebrate this ending is for you to come over to the house and be around family." Liz wasn't leaving without Em. "Go put on something pretty."

"Liz is right. You need to be with us celebrating the good in our lives. We can let this go. I'm here with my family, and I had the privilege of being loved by the Chandlers before I found you guys. So I'm not going to keep gnawing on this bone." Skye told her sister. "Lila is sneaking out of the mansion with Alice to drop by the party, and you don't want to miss that. Grandmother is a party animal and there is no telling what is going to happen." That made them all laugh.

"I can't miss that." Emily replied as she wiped away tears. The distance with their grandfather hadn't done any damage to their relationship with their grandmother. Nothing could disrupt that. "I'll go get dressed." She said before heading to her room.

"I should get changed too." Matt had stood back and let everyone else take the lead. "Thanks for coming over. She needed you guys but was being stubborn."

"A stubborn family member?" Cody said in mock surprise. "In this group? Surely you are joking." His girl could be mule stubborn.

"Behave." Skye said giving her guy a look which just made him smile.

"Get changed. We'll all drive over together." Jason would be sure to check in with Em in the coming weeks. Just to make sure she was okay.

Matt nodded before heading off in the same direction as his wife. He was looking forward to the calendar changing and starting a new year with less drama.

* * *

"Good morning." Liz was up early considering how late the night before was. They had a great time with everyone. Johnny and Gia left last and that had been just after two. They stayed so late because O'Brien was dealing with a case of nerves. He was popping the question this morning. Liz thought it was kind of cute that he was so nervous because Gia was going to say yes. Elizabeth was looking forward to seeing the ring later today at the Corelli house.

"You have a lot of energy." Jason wasn't surprised she was up. She had been looking forward to this day for weeks now.

"This is my second favorite day of the year, having you and Michael makes it even better." Liz sat up and then straddled his waist.

"You're the only person I know who likes Halloween more than Christmas." He was enjoying the view. When she leaned forward and kissed the underside his jaw he hummed softly. It looked like they were going to have a private celebration before going to get their son.

"There is more chocolate at Halloween. Christmas cookies are good, but they don't hold a candle to a chocolate peanut butter pumpkin." Liz made her stance clear. She kissed the hollow of his throat. "I love that you didn't wear a shirt to bed last night." Her eyes looked up into his. "I love having all this skin bared to me." She dropped a kiss over the scar on his chest from where he had been shot. They didn't know one another then, but she was grateful he survived.

Jason put his fingers into her hair and with a slight tug he urged her back up. As her lips covered his, he rolled them so she was under him because he wanted to be charge this morning. "You wore too many clothes to bed." He said as he pushed her sleep shirt up. She had simply put the t-shirt he had been wearing on because she said the closet was too far away.

"The only thing I have on is your shirt. I'm not even wearing underwear." Liz said arching as his lips hit that spot behind her ear.

"It's a crime to cover up your beautiful body at all. I'm an expert on all things criminal so trust me on this." Jason said leaning back. "Lift up." When she did he removed the soft fabric and threw it over his shoulder. "Much better." He said letting his eyes move down her body.

"Like what you see?" Liz asked arching a brow.

"I think the front of my pants can provide an answer to that." Jason said pointing to his groin. He was hard and getting harder by the second. Hooking his fingers into the waistband of his sleep pants he pushed them over his hips before they joined the t-shirt on the floor. "That feels much better". He stretched out keeping his weight off her by bracing it on his forearms. "I know something that will feel even better still." He said kissing her shoulder.

"Would you like to share that knowledge with me?" Liz asked wrapping her legs around his waist. She rocked against him which made him hiss in pleasure. "I'd really like to know." Her hands moved over his shoulders, down his arms, and then back up again.

He could feel that she was ready for him so he shifted his hips, lined them up, and sank slowly into her core. "How does that feel?" He wanted to know as he pulled back before stroking forward again. The pleasure was so intense he shivered as the feelings moved up his cock and across his body.

Elizabeth arched beneath him as the joy of having him inside her literally stole her breath. Answering him wasn't going to happen, at least not with words. She did moan deep in her chest, then gasped when he started moving faster making the pleasure spike hard. When his lips covered one peaked nipple she actually screamed as she was hurled over the edge.

Having a partner who was so open and free in bed was more of a turn on than he could have ever imagined. Every sound she made, every facial expression, the way her hands moved over his body all it combined to strip him raw. He wanted to love her slowly but she had gotten under his skin and he couldn't stop his release from moving through him when she exploded. The tight squeeze of her muscles on his rigid shaft was his entire world as everything inside him flowed from his body into hers. It felt so amazing he damn near blacked out. It took a minute or so before he could move and separate them. "You okay?"

"I am fantastic." Liz said giggling. "I'm all tingly. I have no idea what spot you were hitting, but we need to remember it." She had gone from feeling good to mind numbing pleasure in no time at all. "Not that it isn't always great between us, but this morning was off the charts."

Jason grinned at his girl. He got what she meant. "I wanted it to last longer, but I couldn't hold off. It felt too good."

Liz rolled to her side and kissed his shoulder. She liked knowing she could take him to places that one else had. "So was this my present?"

"Considering you got us started I don't think I can take credit for what just happened." Jason pointed out. "You can though."

"Is that your way of saying you don't care what's in the box under the tree that has your name on it?" Liz had caught him examining the brightly wrapped gift last night. He didn't shake it, but it was a near thing.

"I'm very curious. It's a big box, and heavy." Jason admitted grinning. "Your birthday present to me was unexpected, and great." She had gotten him a first edition Harley Davidson pinball machine. Not a lot of people knew he liked to play them, and it wasn't something he ever expected to own. At the moment it was in his office downstairs, at the new house it would probably move to whatever room his pool table was going to be in. "You have a knack for the unexpected when it comes to giving gifts."

"You are hard to buy for, so I kind of have to think outside the box. At some point I'll run out of ideas and you'll just get ties." Liz said sitting up. "I'm going to shower, keep an ear out for the kid. I'll give him breakfast while you get clean." Looking at the clock she saw that by the time she was done her shower Michael should be up. She stole a quick kiss before heading into the bathroom.

* * *

They were all in pajamas, getting dressed would happen before they left for brunch. Everyone had breakfast so now it was time to open some presents. "Why don't you play Santa?" Liz said putting their son on her lap.

"It amazes me how many boxes there are under this tree for Michael. He's not even going to remember this." Jason said picking up something from his in-laws. "How many of these gifts are from your parents?"

"Enough that they must have had to pay a lot in custom taxes." Liz said shaking her head. "They all came wrapped, so I don't know what any of them are. I'm guessing toys. If it makes you feel better they didn't forget us."

"They didn't have to get me anything." Jason had simply signed the card Elizabeth attached to the item that she bought for her parents. He didn't know them well enough to feel confident in buying a gift. The adult members of the crew here in Port Charles didn't exchange presents, but as children arrived they would certainly be getting gifts.

"My mom picked it out. Just like I went shopping for them." Liz knew that for sure. She was guessing her mom would know that Jason hadn't been involved in picking out the gift. "Like you my dad isn't really a fan of shopping."

"Open my gift to you first. I don't think Michael will mind if we go before him." Liz kissed the baby who smiled up at her. After they opened their presents to one another she was going to have to help Jason open Michael's haul otherwise they would be here for a while.

"Okay." Jason swapped out the box he was holding for the one his wife brought home yesterday. They had agreed to one gift each, and it was hard but he stuck to the rule. Next year he was going to demand they set a higher cap. He tore open the wrapping paper and saw a box from the leather shop in the mall. He got his motorcycle jacket there, and he was curious what Elizabeth would have purchased from them that was this heavy. The box had to weigh about twelve pounds. He took off the lid and grinned as he lifted his eyes to meet his wife's amused ones. "A saddle."

Liz nodded but didn't say anything.

"You got me a horse?" Jason said getting that this was just part of the gift.

"Sort of." Liz said laughing. "The breeder said that you can't really pick a horse for someone else. They need you come down so they can match the correct horse to your personality. So next week we are going to the stables and you can pick your steed from their recommendations. I know that you can ride and that you enjoy it. I'm planning to learn next year and that way we can ride together. I figure Michael can learn as well when he is older."

"We'll need a stable at the house. We have more than enough room to build one." Jason did enjoy horseback riding, up until now he had only gone out with Em. She often wanted to ride during visits home when she was in college, and it was a bad idea to go out alone. AJ didn't ride and Skye hadn't joined them yet.

"Taken care of." Liz assured him. "The architect is on it. For the holiday we can house them with the breeder. After that Grandmother is loaning us some stalls in the Quartermaine stables. Our horses will come to the house the week we move in." She was picking out her horse during the visit next week as well.

"Thank you. I'll enjoy us riding as a family." Jason leaned over and gave her a kiss. Another unexpected, and great, gift. "Here's your present." He handed her an envelope.

"What do you think it is Michael?" She asked the baby who was reaching for the bright red square. "Shall we see?" Liz opened the flap and removed a picture. "No way. A full body zero gravity massage chair." This was awesome.

"I know that sometimes your back hurts after you are done work for the day. I was assured this will take care of that stiffness." Jason would have gotten her a spa membership, but she wasn't comfortable with that. "You take such great care of us, I wanted you to be pampered too."

"Thank you." Liz was very much going to enjoy this. Jason would probably use it from time to time as well, which was fine.

"It's at the warehouse, I'll call and have it brought over tomorrow." Jason let her know.

"Monday is fine." It was Friday and she wanted the crews to be able to enjoy the holiday weekend. "I'll be in it right after it arrives." She told him before leaning over for a kiss.

"Now we can tackle Michael's gifts." Jason said looking at the items still under the tree. Along the way they would open the gift to them from her parents.

"Hand me one and we'll get started." Liz got her camera ready so that they could snap pictures to share.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	84. Chapter 84

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

i will update the other sites this evening when I am at home.

* * *

Chapter 84

"Hey there." Liz said taking a seat on the long bench. She was wondering where they had gotten off to.

"I'm next." Skye said looking at her sister.

"I could be here to check on Em." Liz said giving the look right back.

Skye just snorted. "We both know you are here to try to get to Viv."

"We aren't all you." Liz said trying to keep a straight face.

Emily was just laughing at the both of them. Having sisters was really the best. "I feel so loved." She was feeding her daughter Vivienne Ariel in a private corner of their grandmother's rose garden. The christening had been this morning at Queen of Angels, and now they were having a small gathering. There was no guilt about banning Edward from the house because he was in Florida for a charity golf tournament. He was behaving, they knew because the guard he had with him was sending back daily reports. "That dress is amazing." Emily told Liz.

"Thanks. I wanted something colorful." The fuchsia silk short sleeved sheath dress was perfect for the warmer than normal day. Jason had smiled wide when he first saw her. "I spotted this while I was out on a stroll with the kid, and knew it would be perfect for today." This wasn't a color she normally gravitated to, but the garment just called to her. It made a good contrast to Jason who was in a dark blue suit and a matching tie.

"You do look amazing, but the scene stealer of the day goes to Michael. His outfit is adorable." Skye had spent some time earlier kissing on her nephew.

"I can take credit for that." Emily said grinning. The jumper and stripped onsie set was a gift from her and Matt.

"I thought it would be nice to put him in something you gave him." Liz had done something similar at Lily's christening. That was what they were calling Skye and Cody's daughter. Michael had been christened in England, so they didn't have to gather the family.

"Sucking up to Em will not get you bumped ahead of me. I'm holding the baby next. I've been waiting patiently all day." Skye said getting back to the pecking order.

"I'm surprised you didn't pull the godmother card." Liz said laughing. Emily had been planning on asking both her brother and sister to be godparents. It was Jason who pointed out that if Em was going to set up a trust fund like the ones Michael and Lily both had then she should probably only pick one of them. Since Skye was already Michael's trustee she shouldn't be Viv's too. So he took his name out of the running so he could be named as his niece's trustee.

"I was saving that for last." Skye said with a grin. Emily finished feeding the baby and handed her over. "She's so beautiful. I love having a daughter. I'm hoping to have a son next so I have one of each."

"Whoever has the next baby needs to have a boy so Michael isn't outnumbered." Emily said with a grin. "Ned and Lois are having a girl too." They found out the gender of their second child last week. They announced it at the same time they announced the pregnancy. The family was expanding yet again. "When might we see that next baby?" Emily asked looking at Liz. The young doctor was enjoying messing with her sister.

"Do you think the next Ashton baby will have blue eyes like Michael?" Liz was totally ignoring Em. The smirk on the artist's face said it was intentional.

"I think it's so unfair that only the guys have that color so far." Skye had been hoping Lily might get her great-grandmother's stunning hue, but nope. The little girl had her father's brown eyes to go with her blonde hair. It was still a very beautiful combination. Cody was already glaring at little boys in the baby play group they went to. When she finished talking she kissed on her goddaughter.

"When are you guys leaving for Palermo?" Emily was enjoying watching Skye with the baby. There was no doubt Viv would be loved.

"The week after next. We'll be back a couple of days before the wedding." Liz was looking forward to the O'Brien/Campbell nuptials. They were being held in the backyard of the couple's new home. Like the Morgan wedding it was going to be a small affair. Gia's brother was flying in next week to give her away which she was thrilled about because she wasn't sure his schedule was going to allow it. Gia was already joking about him and Johnny needing bail money.

"How long after you get there is Steven arriving?" Skye wasn't hiding that she was worried. She nor Em knew exactly what had happened during his visit to Port Charles, they also didn't need to know. They just knew that he had brought more drama at the worst possible time and by the time he left the siblings weren't even talking.

"The morning after we do." Liz had been as honest as possible about why she was going into therapy. She didn't feel like she had to offer up an explanation, but she was aware that folks would worry if she stayed silent. Also unconditional support should never be turned away. "I figured just go ahead and get our talk over with." Her parents were coming over as well. They weren't taking sides, but just were trying to be there for both their children. "I don't expect that he will stay in Italy after we are done."

"Hopefully you will be in a better space after this." Emily just wanted everyone to be as happy as possible. The Quartermaines found themselves in a not ideal situation with how their family was fractured. Liz didn't need that to be the case in her family too.

"Hopefully." Liz said with a small smile. She wasn't expecting much to change, she just needed to speak with him. Her therapist was all for this meeting saying a clearing of the air was a good thing.

"Are you excited for the move?" Skye switched topics.

"I am." Liz's smile widened and brightened. Tomorrow was the big day. The crew was coming over and packing them up, and then transporting everything to the new house. They were coming back the next day to unpack everything and set everything up to Elizabeth's liking. She was expecting it to be a smooth transition.

"What does Michael's room look like? Did you copy the mural into his new space?" Emily had a nature theme for her nursery with a focus on butterflies. Liz had painted a stunning mural on one of the walls.

"I did do the same mural on the walls. That way Michael is surrounded by something familiar. This should be the last big move he makes until college, if he goes away. I'm guessing he's old enough to get that he is in a new house, so I want to keep him from being stressed." Liz explained why the theme was staying in place.

"I'm sure the new room looks just as stunning as the nursery in the penthouse." Skye still laughed when she walked into Lily's room. Cody had requested, and gotten a princess theme complete with a castle on one wall. The man was starting in early. It was almost like she thought him up because his voice came from behind a tall hedge.

"Babe." Cody called out. "I have Lily." It was almost time for his daughter to eat.

"The coast is clear." Emily yelled out. She knew he had stopped because he didn't want to intrude on her privacy. She took Viv from Skye, and handed the little girl to Liz.

"Who did you have to pry her away from?" Skye asked grinning. She hadn't spent much time holding her daughter this afternoon. That was normal when everyone was together.

"Georgie." Cody loved both his girls to distraction. He didn't know a heart could be so full.

"Who has Michael?" Liz wanted to know.

"Gia the last I checked." Cody had spent some time with nephew earlier in the day. The kids of the family would know they were loved. "However Grandmother was heading over, so she probably has him now. Jason said something about never getting his son back. There has also been some rumbling about putting together a posse to come get Viv from you guys."

"Summer and Nadine have the easiest jobs in the word." Emily just grinned. The Hunters didn't have a nanny, Viv was going to be in the hospital nursery, because Emily wanted her daughter close by. Jason wasn't happy about that. He was however respecting his sister's decision.

"We didn't even bring Summer today." Skye responded with a grin. "I gave her the day off because I knew she wasn't going to have anything to do. There are worse problems to have." Her nanny rarely worked weekends, which was similar to how things were in the Morgan household.

"True. Nadine is here as Renaldo's date, she isn't on the clock either." Liz rarely needed her nanny on the weekends. The only time Nadine worked on a Saturday or Sunday was if Jason had a business function. Date nights for the Morgans usually took place during the week because restaurants wouldn't be as crowded. However most nights they stayed in, which Liz had to admit she really liked.

"They are so cute together." Emily was happy for Nadine, she really liked the other woman.

"I'm going now." Cody said heading back to the party. He didn't want to talk about relationships.

"They are cute together. They make each other smile which I like to see." Liz was thinking that before the year was out the couple would be engaged. They were moving into penthouse two once it was repainted. Georgie and Milo now lived in penthouse four so the two ladies would probably hang out even more. "We are having everyone over next week for an early family dinner since we will be gone on Sunday. It will also serve as our house warming. No gifts." They had been telling everyone that, but Liz was thinking that decree was going to get ignored.

"Okay." Skye and Emily both said in unison. With matching grins.

Liz just looked at her niece. "Viv, your mother and godmother are trouble makers." She kissed the baby and tried not to laugh at her sisters.

* * *

"Ready?" Jason was standing downstairs waiting while Elizabeth did one final walkthrough of the penthouse. The crew had left a few minutes ago heading over to the new house. He knew they wouldn't have left anything behind so he was guessing that she was saying goodbye to their first home.

"I am." Liz said coming down the stairs. This morning had been a rollercoaster of emotions. Excitement at the move and sadness at leaving the penthouse. "I was happy here." Even though they had lived through some drama while in the Towers, she had been happy with her marriage and motherhood.

"Me too." Jason was wrapping an arm around her waist to bring her closer. "I'm happy to be moving though. I feel like we are starting the rest our lives moving into the new house. Kind of like what they say in commencement speeches." He said with a quick grin.

She got what he meant and nodded. "We should get going then. I told Trent we would drop off the keys on the way to the garage. Nadine is going to bring Michael over at dinner time." The nursery was the first room getting set up, followed by master suite. Liz wanted them to be comfortable tonight.

"I'm looking forward to pushing him on the swings." Jason said as he called for the elevator.

"You can do that tomorrow while I'm making the crew cry." Liz said laughing as the metal doors closed. Georgie was coming over to give a second opinion. Once everything was placed then Liz would get Jason to do the final walkthrough.

"You won't be that bad." Jason said leaning over and giving her a kiss. He did expect that she would change her mind about the placement of items, but his girl wasn't a diva. Their house was going to warm and filled with love and she would be at the heart of it. "And everyone will get brownies."

"I've already got my list." Liz said as they stepped out into the lobby. She would miss being here, but was ready to move on. "Let me drop off the keys and then we can go to the car."

"How about on the way over we stop off and get some hot chocolate? To celebrate." Jason suggested, she had skipped breakfast this morning.

"Smart and handsome. No wonder you're a keeper." Liz said nodding her agreement. A chocolate drink with extra whipped cream was the perfect way to celebrate the move.

* * *

"Are you going to be okay?" Jason was sitting on the back of the couch and Elizabeth was standing between his legs. He would leave their hotel room shortly and go to what would be an all-day meeting. Like the last time Francis was with him, although Diane had stayed in New York. Jason was permitted to bring one person from his executive staff, and one guard which this time was Renaldo. It was common to bring enforcers to council meetings. Both he and Francis would network with other family counterpoints. Everyone on the council were allies so a good bit of business was done.

"I have no idea." Liz wasn't going to lie to him. "I don't expect that this is going to be easy. I'm pretty certain it's going to be painful for everyone involved." The timing of this meeting was deliberate on her part. She was spending the morning with her family and would take the afternoon to level out. Michael was spending the entire day with Nadine, so Liz didn't have to worry about upsetting her son. By the time Jason returned she should be calm and her family would be on their way to back to Germany.

Tomorrow Jason was going to be in another day of meetings, which would give Liz another day to process whatever took place between her and her brother. What was really going to help was that she was having a phone session with her therapist where they would talk about how the visit with Steven went. By the time her husband was done Liz was hoping to be in a really good space. They were doing some sightseeing and enjoying Italy for a few days before returning home. Elizabeth didn't want Steven's presence to bleed into that time.

"I worry." Jason ran his hand up her arm because he suspected they both needed the contact.

"I know. That makes me feel really loved." Liz leaned in and gave him a kiss. "You look amazing in your suit."

"I wore it because you like it." It was the dark brown suit he wore to dinner when they celebrated Dominque starting at Deception, where she was doing a killer job. This time it was paired with a brown tie. "I wanted to make you smile before I left."

"Mission accomplished." She smiled at him.

"I need to go. You can call me if you need me." Jason would leave the meetings if he had to.

"I know." Liz had no intention of disrupting his day. "Give me another kiss, and then get going." She would give him this little push because he needed it. "You can call me when you guys break for lunch. Do you break for lunch?" She asked him.

"No clue." Jason stood up and slipped on his jacket. He sent a message to Francis and Renaldo that he was heading to the elevator. They would meet him in the hall. "If we do I'll check in. If you don't hear from me then the answer was no." He would have to turn over his cell phone and gun before going into the room where they were gathering. "I love you." He had kissed Michael before coming out to talk with Elizabeth.

"I love you too." She walked him to the door and got yet another kiss. Standing in the doorway she watched their friends come out of their suites and waved.

"Should I come get Michael now?" Nadine wanted to know. The little boy would be hanging out in her room because they weren't going out.

"Yeah." Liz waited in the doorway for her friend. "Jason is picking Michael up."

"Not a problem. We will have fun, won't we Mikey." Nadine smiled at the little boy who smiled back.

"Thanks Nadine." Liz walked them to the door and when they were gone she closed it before leaning against it. Marco was down the hall waiting for Steven to arrive. Her guard would be hanging out with them. She was going to do her best to not ask him to shoot her brother.

* * *

Steven got on the elevator and his parents got on behind him. A year ago he would have called you a liar if you said that we would speaking to them and not to his sister. He would have laughed his ass off if you said that he would be living in Germany and told to not have any contact with Libby. If you told him that she would hate him to the point of wanting him dead, he would have simply walked away. Yet as he rode up to the penthouse suite of this posh hotel in Italy every single one of those things was true. "Did you talk to her this morning?" Steven asked his dad. He was still not very comfortable talking to his mother. Especially after his near relapse. That had set their relationship back some.

"No. We spoke last night when they arrived." Jeff told his son. The Webbers had arrived in Palermo yesterday afternoon. "Not for very long because she was tired from the flight. We'll be staying out of the talk the two of you have."

"That's for the best." Steven didn't expect it to go well. The fact that his sister hadn't reached out at all since he left New York spoke volumes. For the last few months he had been seeing a nurse at the hospital where his dad worked named Olivia, she had told him that it might take more time than had passed for his sister to forgive him and to not lose patience. Steven was going to hold onto that. Right now his girlfriend was waiting at the hotel for him to call. She wanted to be here in case he needed her.

Having her come into his life had been unexpected. He talked to his therapist before asking Olivia out and was surprised when the doctor said a girlfriend would be a great thing. As long as the relationship was healthy, then it was all good. What had occurred was Steven finding someone else who gave him support. He was honest about his addiction issues but she was still here. Olivia believed in him, and he was grateful for that. "Is Jason here?"

"No." Jeff had no idea where his son in-law was, but Libby said that neither he nor Michael would be there for the meeting.

Steven wasn't sure if that was going to be a good thing or not. The last time Jason had been the one to stop Libby from attacking him. They stepped off the elevator and came face to face with a one of the guards. Steven couldn't remember his name.

"Arms up." Marco patted Steven down. "End of the hall." He wasn't going to check Liz's parents. Jason said they were fine.

"Thanks." Steven was kind of shook up, but didn't let it show. It was clear that he was still considered a threat. He knocked on the door as his stomach rolled some. Skipping breakfast had been a good call.

"Mom, dad. Michael is across the hall. If you knock Nadine is expecting you." Liz didn't want them in the room. She didn't want what she said to Steven to be a part of the relationship they had with their son.

"Call us when you are done." Jeff was trying to be fair to both kids. Carolyn was already heading to the room where her grandson was. When they were getting dressed she had been honest about the fact that she wouldn't blame Libby if she started out by slapping her brother.

"Okay." Steven nodded. "Enjoy your visit." He stepped into the room and the large man followed. It was clear he was staying. Looking at his sister he took a deep breath and braced himself for whatever was coming.

* * *

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	85. Chapter 85

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 85

Liz looked at her brother. He looked good. Steven had gained a little weight since she last saw him, which made him appear healthier. His hair was shorter and he was sporting some scruff like he was in the process of growing a beard. Or he just hadn't shaved in a few days. Clearly the move to Germany was working out well for him, even with the stumble.

"We can talk outside." Liz said turning and heading to the balcony. Marco was going to wait inside the suite. "There's coffee." She pointed so the guard would know to help himself. "It's fresh."

"Thanks. I'll be in the living room if you need me." Marco said more for Steven than Liz. He wanted her brother to know that he wasn't very far away.

Liz gave her friend a smile. Support was coming from everywhere, which she appreciated. Stepping outside she let the sun warm her. "Have a seat." She invited her brother before sitting.

Steven pulled out a chair and sat down. She hadn't offered him coffee or a beverage of any type. In fact there was absolutely no warmth in their interaction so far. That probably wouldn't change. "I'm sorry." There was no point in beating around the bush.

"I accept your apology, and I forgive you." Liz said meaning it, which clearly surprised her brother. "I'm not going to go through life hating you. It's tiring. I have better uses for my time and energy." She had no idea how her mother held onto the rage for so long.

"What does that mean?" Steven hadn't expected her to say that. For the first time in a long time he had hope that they might move past this.

"It means you don't have to worry that someone is going to walk up and blow your brains out someday on my orders." She answered her eyes boring into his.

"So the guard is leaving?" Steven was aware that he was being watched. He had also been wondering when someone would decide that he didn't need to keep breathing.

"No. I said I forgive you, Jason hasn't. He won't ever forgive you for what you came to do, and for hurting me." Liz said being blunt. "He still doesn't trust you."

"What about you?" Steven wanted to know.

"I'll never trust you again." Liz just shook her head. "I feel like I never knew you. If you had come for me, I could probably move past this. It would be hard, but I could do it. You came for my son though. You stood in my house and admitted you planned on trying to kidnap my son. How do you expect me to forget that?" She asked blinking back tears. "What happened to you? I know for a fact you never wanted anything to happen to Sarah, yet you intentionally came to my home to harm me. Did you think that I would be grateful that you stole my son so that I could stay safe? I would lay down my life a million times over for him Steven. A million times. Between us there is no choice. You should have been honest about what the situation was. You should have been honest with me from the start."

"I wanted to protect you. Because I failed Sarah I wanted to get it right this time. I would have done anything to make that happen, including sacrifice your son." Steven still carried a lot of guilt about the night their sister died. "Only it doesn't work that way." He shared something he learned in therapy. "This wasn't a do over. Even if it was I had already failed. I was the one who set the entire scenario in motion. I put you in danger when I took that first loan to enter the poker game."

"At least you are learning something from this. I really hope that you come out of this a better person." Liz understood that this wasn't over for him. He was still in the process of getting his life together. For her this meeting represented the closing of a chapter of her life. Her doctor said not many more session would be needed once she had this talk with her brother. A face to face with Edward wasn't happening, nor did her therapist recommend it. Closure there had already been achieved. They had custody of Michael, it was the only statement that needed to be made.

"Where do we stand?" Steven asked her. Whatever answer she gave he was strong enough to handle. He understood that the reason he turned to cards was because he didn't fully committed to beating his addictive nature. He swore off alcohol, and that stuck, but he never looked past that. He never dealt with the demons that pushed him to start drinking in the first place. So he traded one addiction for another. He let one way to forget what happened go, only to find a new way to make the pain disappear. He didn't want to go there again. Even when he was going to the casinos late last year there was a part of him that was yelling to stop. That was why he didn't place any bets, because for the first time since Sarah died he had control. It felt good. Too good to let go.

"There is no we." Liz said quietly. "I forgive you, but I can't forget. I can't take that risk with my child. I can't have you in my life because that means you are in his." There was simply too much at stake. She got to see up close and personal what happened when he fell off the wagon. If he knew more about her life in Port Charles he might have just told it to Luke in exchange for debt forgiveness. So to protect her family, her brother couldn't be a part of her life ever again.

"You can go to New York City, but you can't ever come back to upstate. You can also travel to California, but Malibu is off limits." She was changing the terms of the restrictions. Jason had told her to do what she felt was necessary. Her husband's support meant everything. "I won't be coming to visit Mom and Dad at home anymore, which they know and accept."

"Unless I move." Steven got what she left unsaid.

"Or they do." Liz thought that second option was probably more likely. If that happened she wouldn't be shocked if they ended up somewhere near her. It wasn't going to be anytime soon though because they were committed to helping Steven. Which meant they would be staying close to him for the time being.

"I'm supposed to write a letter making amends to those I've hurt." Steven wasn't doing the twelve steps, but the program he was in had some overlap with them.

"You can consider this an adequate substitution. You apologized, and I accepted. If you need to write the letter to show your doctor then go ahead. You don't need to mail it though." Because this conversation was the last contact she intended to have with him. "I won't be reading it." She wasn't going to string him along. She wouldn't leave him with the hope of reconciliation that wasn't ever going to come. She was being honest because they both needed it.

Steven just nodded. The bridge between them was well and truly burned. Not that he blamed her. He had heard that a mother's love was the most powerful, and at times scariest, force known to man. She was hurting, it was in her eyes, but even more than that she was scared. Scared of what danger he might bring to her child. Liz had made up her mind. There was no going back. She would never trust him around her child, or children. Deep inside he couldn't find a reason to blame her for that decision. "Why didn't you just let Jason kill me?" Steven wanted to know this.

"Because I know that addiction is a sickness. I know that there is good inside of you. Also at the time I wanted to kill you myself." Liz said being honest. "I was so angry, but more than that I was hurt. I don't think you'll ever know how deep hearing you say those words cut me. Or maybe you do because mom did the same thing to you when Sarah died." Liz was quiet for a minute. "Decisions made when you are in that state are never good ones. I got that you felt trapped. What I couldn't accept was that you didn't even look for another way out."

"I did." Steven responded quickly.

"No, you didn't. Not really. At some point you'll stop telling yourself that lie. You never tried to contact the police, you never told us what was going on. I get that you were scared, but you didn't try Steven. Taking my son made it all go away, and that was what you really wanted. You wanted to make it all disappear. That was why you drank and that was why you gambled. You want to not have to think about what haunted you. If you had tried to take Michael the only thing that would have disappeared was you. Even if you succeeded in getting my son, Luke Spencer would have killed you. You had to know that. There is part of me that wonders if that was what this was really about. If you were using this situation to end your life. You've been trying to kill yourself in one way or another since the night Sarah died. This situation gave you the perfect way out, you wouldn't even have to put your finger on the trigger." She had been thinking hard about this.

Steven didn't say anything because he had no argument to offer. For years he had been looking for a way out but was too much of a coward to just end it. By all rights he should be dead be now, either by Jason's hand or by Spencer's. The doctor at the first rehab center didn't clue into that, but the therapist his dad got him in to see picked up on it pretty quickly. She was used to working with military personnel fresh from combat, some of whom were suicidal.

The siblings sat in a heavy silence. They had seemingly run out of things to say. It was Liz who broke it. "I wish you well." She told her brother. "I really do hope that you find the place you belong, I hope you find someone to share that life with, and I hope that you are able to be happy. Sarah would want that. Despite how we are parting, I want that for you too."

"You deserve all the happiness you can get." Steven wasn't angry at her choice, but he was sad at what he had done to them. He got to his feet, it was time to go.

"Are you going to let Mom and Dad know that you are leaving?" Liz still loved him and she was worried what this conversation would do to him. However lying wasn't an option, for either of them.

"I'll send them a text. They knew that I would be done before them." Steven explained. "I'm going to do some sightseeing while they enjoy their visit." He would call Olivia from the elevator and wait for her in the lobby.

Liz stood up as well. "Good bye Steven." It was time for him to go.

"Good bye Elizabeth." He said before walking through the hotel room leaving his sister behind.

* * *

When Liz didn't walk into the suite Marco went to check on her. He found her with her head down on her arms, crying. He went back inside, to the kitchen where he grabbed a bottle of water and then he snagged a box of tissues before going out onto the balcony once more. He put both items on the table and took a seat.

Liz sat up and took a deep breath. She had seen his shoes through the glass of the table. "Thanks."

"How bad was it?" Marco didn't insert himself into Liz's personal life often. Although they weren't just guard and charge, they had reached a point that they were friends as well.

"He won't be back." Liz took a drink of water. "I don't regret my decision, and I'm not going to change my mind." She took him through her thought process. "Doesn't mean it didn't hurt."

"I have people in my life that I had to let go. The reason doesn't matter, but it's never easy." Marco understood what she was feeling.

Liz just nodded her head. "Thanks for coming to check on me."

"It's what I do." Marco said with a grin. "You want to go for a walk? Your parents are still with Mikey but I'm sure you could crash that visit."

"I don't want to interrupt their time with him. They don't get to see him that often." Liz got to her feet. "I'm going to wash my face then we can go out. Pick somewhere fun." She got to the doorway before turning back. "Don't call Jason and tell him I'm in tears. I don't want him at his meeting worrying I'm here falling apart." He was going to know that she had been crying when he saw her.

Marco just nodded, he would respect her wishes. He also knew that Jason was going to worry no matter what. That was what you did when you loved someone. "I'll meet you by the front door."

"Thanks." Liz replied before going to the bathroom to freshen up.

* * *

Elizabeth woke up from her late afternoon nap to find Jason sitting in one of the armchairs with his feet up on the ottoman. Michael was on his dad's lap and they were looking through a picture book that she had packed. The little boy was touching the book as Jason said the name of each animal. Instead of speaking she stayed quiet and watched the two of them. The love in her heart just overflowed. They made everything make sense. The thing that amazed her the most was that Jason said the same thing about her, and their son of course.

"Look Michael." Jason smiled over at her. "Mommy's up." They had been quiet so they didn't wake Elizabeth, he just wanted to be near in case she needed him.

"Hi." Elizabeth waved and then laughed when Michael mimicked the motion. She glanced at the clock and saw that her nap had been just over an hour. When she got back to the room her head was starting to hurt some. Now she felt much better.

Jason put the book aside and came over to the bed. He put their son between them before stretching out so that Michael could lean against him for support. Elizabeth's eyes were slightly puffy and Jason knew that meant she had been crying at some point. Which wasn't surprising. "How are you feeling?"

"Better." Liz said leaning forward and kissing Michael. He laughed and reached for her face, so she kissed him again. "I said goodbye to my brother. I wished him a happy life, and then let him go." She said blinking back tears.

"You can change your mind at a later date." Jason reached out and cupped her check letting his thumb move over the soft skin.

"I can't have people I don't trust around Michael." Liz wasn't changing her mind. "Steven is in the same category as Edward as far as I'm concerned. The reason they did the things they did are different, but the intended outcome was going to be the same. Michael being taken from us. I'd never be able to let my guard down around Steven again." She just shook her head. "My parents gave me their support. They understand why I made the choice I did, and they aren't judging me. I think that my brother is once again on shaky ground with my mother. My dad said not to worry about it."

Jason understood that Elizabeth was still going to worry about her brother. "I'm sure if you ask them they will give you updates."

"They would." Liz leaned forward and blew a raspberry against Michael's neck which made him laugh loudly. "How was your meeting?"

"Good. I wasn't sure what to expect because no one talks about what happens inside the conference room, outside of the conference room." Jason started explaining and she nodded. "It's very much like a board of trustees meeting. Families need things and we decide if they should get them. There are disputes and we mediate them. Territories are empty and we choose who fills them. There are matters that Maximus wants our opinions on, and matters he handles himself but wants us to be aware of." Jason went through the day. "Tomorrow morning will be more of the same. After lunch we will have the opportunity to discuss issues that may be affecting us as family heads."

"Do you have anything you need to bring up?" Liz didn't know of any problems back home.

"Not at the moment." Jason knew there would be times that he did need to discuss something, right now he was enjoying that things were peaceful.

"How come there is no dress up dinner during this trip?" Liz watched as Michael leaned forward and then rolled to his back. Since his tummy was out she tickled it.

Jason had asked this very question this morning during a private moment with Maximus. The Don had shook his head as he answered. "Most of the other men on the council don't bring their wives on this trip. They traveled here with their current mistresses. They don't want to flaunt that fact because it's not a practice that is fully embraced any more. Maximus does not cheat on his wife, and he has made it known he doesn't approve of the behavior. He can't force people to be faithful, but he's not hanging out with a group of mistresses either."

"Is your faithfulness one of the reasons you got an invite onto the council?" Liz found what Jason had just shared to be fascinating. Powerful men had long thought women their due, but the most powerful man in this business did not.

"No. The size of my organization was why I was selected. As others retire they are being replaced by guys my age. We tend to be more faithful for some reason." Jason just shrugged. He was thinking that the next empty spot would go to Manny, and he didn't cheat on his wife Angel. "We can still go out tonight if you want."

"I'd rather stay in, maybe tomorrow night." Liz needed some quiet time with her guys tonight. "The three of us can eat on the balcony."

Jason rolled to his back and grabbed the room service menu. "A night in with my beautiful wife is a great way to end the day." He gave her a kiss. "How does that sound Michael? He agrees with me that you are beautiful." When Elizabeth blushed Jason smiled. He was going to do his best to help her get into a better emotional space before they turned in for the night. Dinner was a great place to start.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	86. Chapter 86

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

Not Safe For Work

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Chapter 86

"I love this backyard." Em said looking around the decorated space. The family was gathering at the Morgan house for a special welcome home party. "I know as they get bigger the kids are going to have so much fun on the play area you guys built." It was basically a carbon copy of the playground in the park downtown that the kids all loved.

On the other side of the backyard was an enclosed pool area that would get a lot of use by everyone in the colder months. Between the two areas was plenty of green space for things like touch football games, picnics, or just letting the kids run around. Now that he was mobile Michael loved it when his dad chased him across the grass. He was really fast too.

"Is that your way of saying this is going to be the house where all the kids hang out?" Liz asked with a mock scowl. They had been deliberate in putting in such a large play area. There would be times when the kids couldn't go to the park. If it wasn't safe for Michael to be out, that would mean Lily and Viv had to stay in as well. When that happened the nannies could all gather here with the kids who hopefully would not feel like they were missing out on much.

"Yup." Emily said grinning. She and Matt now had a nanny too. Not because of Jason's business. Because Em was a member of the Quartermaine family the press could be a problem. It took one overzealous reporter trying to get into the hospital daycare to get a picture of Viv to make both Em and Matt see it wasn't secure. They didn't have a Norland nanny but they were happy with Darby.

"I'll make sure to keep snacks on hand." Liz said laughing. Behind the house was the patio area and at the moment the ladies were looking that over. It was set up for the party. Past that and further down the property were the stables. At some point this afternoon the horses would get a visit and some treats. Checking her phone Liz saw it was almost time for everyone else to arrive. Mobsters were never late. "It's almost time." She, like everyone else, was super excited. "I didn't think today was ever going to arrive."

"I know." Emily was nodding as she responded. "I was so happy when Francis and Diane announced that they were going to be parents." The couple had been quietly working on an adoption but didn't want to say anything until things were official. With Francis being an Italian citizen as well, they adopted from there. After getting a close up look at how CPS worked, Diane knew they wouldn't pass muster here in the states.

"I think it's very mean of them to not give us any details." Skye's smile took the sting out of her words as the ladies went back into the house. The Corellis had left ten days ago and while they had sent pictures of Italy, she really did need to go visit, they didn't say anything about the adoption. Claire, who was now an established member of their crew since she was dating Shawn, said that legally their friends may have had to remain silent.

"Hi." Gia greeted her friends as she and Johnny walked into the house. The email Liz sent out said that the door would be open and everyone should just come in. The guards wouldn't let anyone who shouldn't be here onto the grounds so that slight breach of security was fine.

"Hey." Liz pointed to the den so Johnny would know where the guys were. They were going to end up in two groups, until the Corelli family arrived. It was how these gatherings always went. "I'm glad you could make it."

"Me too." Gia wasn't sure her schedule would allow it. Francis and Diane had said they weren't exactly certain on when they would be back. They sent a text three days ago with a return date, and fortunately all the medical staff in the crew was off. "Are they here yet?"

"Nope." Skye answered the question. "Diane likes to make an entrance."

"The curiosity is killing me." Gia admitted as they went into the living room. She loved this house, Liz had created a very relaxing space. "Eve got paperwork and she's been taunting me ever since." The surgeon said laughing. Dr. Lambert was the go to pediatrician for everyone.

"I know how you are feeling." Liz told her friend. "Diane knows how to build suspense." The door opened as more friends entered the house. "Hi." This time it was Renaldo and Nadine. The nanny was off today, although she would help out if needed. She was sporting a very nice ring these days and the ladies took her out to celebrate the bauble.

Georgie and Milo arrived next. "Hey." She said joining the ladies. "I was worried we were going to be late."

"Was there a problem?" Liz wanted to know.

"I overslept." Georgie said laughing. "I never oversleep, but Maxie wore me out." Her sister had been in Port Charles for a week, and left yesterday. Georgie was worried that the visit would not go well considering that a lot of people didn't like the elder Jones sister. However Maxie had been on her best behavior and almost everyone in the crew really liked her. She had also given Milo her seal of approval.

"I liked her. She's very stylish." Skye and Liz were the only ladies who hadn't ever met Maxie. Em had a bad history with Georgie's sister, so she hadn't been around for a lot of the visit. "I wouldn't expect less of Kate's assistant." Skye knew the editor from her time in the industry.

"She's tiring." Georgie said laughing and being honest. "Milo is looking forward to the silence that will descend on the penthouse."

Marco stuck his head in the room. "Ladies. Francis's car was on the road behind mine." He had just arrived with Sabrina.

"Thanks." Liz and the other ladies got to their feet, she sent a message back to her husband so that everyone would come to the front of the house. They weren't going to stand on the porch because they didn't want to come on too strong. Diane had let one small detail leak, their friends had not adopted a newborn. If they rushed at an older child it could be scary.

The guys joined their ladies. "Excited?" Jason asked his wife. Michael immediately abandoned him for his mother. It amazed Jason that his son was already walking and talking. Time was flying by.

"I am." Liz nodded looking up at him. "I'm also happy for our friends. I know they really wanted to be parents, and now they are. I'm looking forward to playdates and more birthday parties."

"The play set is going to get a lot of use." Jason enjoyed it when he was out there with his son. The swings were Michael's favorite at the moment. Cody and Skye had arrived first today, and he spent time pushing Lily on the swings. The little girl had been laughing the entire time.

"Hello!" Diane called from the front hall.

"In here." Liz responded. Her friends had been over enough to know the layout of the house. "What do you think?" She took a quick poll.

"Girl." Skye said with a grin. "Diane will want someone to shop with."

"I'm with my big sister." Emily cast her vote.

"Boy." Jason spoke up. "Francis will not survive having a daughter."

"I gotta go with Jason." Cody agreed laughing. "He said he wanted a boy."

"I'm in with the guys. I just don't think Francis's blood pressure is up to having a daughter. We can't all be Cody." Johnny thought it was funny that so far the votes were split by gender. "Liz?"

"Boy." Liz said bucking the trend and siding with her husband. "Because Diane said she wanted a son as well."

"I think boy too." Georgie looked at her guy. "What do you think?" Surprisingly enough there wasn't a pool going.

"Girl. Francis is all talk. He wants someone to spoil." Milo said with a grin.

"Girl." Renaldo was standing with his arm around his girlfriend. He was hoping that children were in their future. He knew Nadine wanted a family, they just weren't there yet. "Babe?"

"Boy." Nadine was going with her gut.

"I'm not voting because I can't pick." Gia admitted to the group. "Matt?"

"Boy." Matt hung out with everyone as much as his schedule allowed. He appreciated that they always extended an invitation.

"Ready?" Francis called from the hall. Based on his voice he was standing just by the doorway. No one else was going to get a chance to state a guess since it was reveal time.

"Yeah." Jason responded as everyone got silent as they waited for their friends to enter the room.

"Hi." Francis walked in first grinning wide.

"Hi." Diane walked in right behind him with a smile to match her husband's.

"Two?" Liz was stunned. Based on the silence so was everyone else. That simply hadn't occurred to her.

"We'd like for everyone to meet Dante and Kristina Corelli." Francis introduced his children to the rest of their family.

"Twins?" Jason hadn't seen this coming. However he was thrilled for his friends because their smiles said they were happy.

"Yes." Diane walked closer so that everyone could get a closer look at her daughter. It wasn't surprising when Liz reached out with a silent request to hold the little girl and Kristina leaned over to meet her. "We got a letter a few months back from the agency telling us of a set of twins that had become available for adoption. They were looking to find a home that had room for them both because they couldn't be separated."

Francis handed his son over to Johnny who was making faces at the little boy. Dante was laughing as he looked at his new uncle. "When we saw their photos we just knew that they belonged with us." It had been love at first sight.

"How old are they." Skye was wiping away tears. Despite not sharing DNA she was going to be addressed as aunt. She was looking forward to spoiling her new nephew and niece.

"They turned one last week." Diane hadn't ever been happier. "So I took the liberty of ordering a birthday cake, which will be coming shortly. I thought we could celebrate since we are all together."

"We don't have gifts." Georgie pointed out. No one had done any shopping because they didn't know sizes or what was needed. Diane had shopped and set up the basics before they left for Italy. To keep the secret she had done the decorating with Francis. It was assumed that everyone would go out and pick up items after today.

"We were thinking that we could hijack next week's family dinner." Francis looked at Jason who nodded his consent. "Everyone can bring their gifts then, and we'll open them after we eat. We'd like to request something special from Liz."

"Murals?" Elizabeth was smiling at Kristina who was getting to know Skye.

"If you wouldn't mind." Diane didn't hide that she was in awe of the work that graced the walls of the other children's rooms.

"We can grab a quiet spot today and talk about what you envision." Liz would be happy to welcome the kids into the family this way. "I'll do a sketch and then we'll get started." They had it down to a science now, and pretty much everyone in the room today would come over to help.

"That sounds fantastic. Thank you." Diane already had a few ideas.

"Why don't we head out back, so the kids can play and I can get the grill started?" Jason suggested to everyone. He didn't get a chance to hold either of the kids yet, but before they left that would change. "You can tell us about your trip while I cook."

"While we are heading back, Skye you can tell me where you got the dress Lily is wearing." Diane was looking forward to crafting a stylish wardrobe for her son and daughter.

* * *

"I'm still trying to wrap my mind around the fact that Diane and Francis adopted two children." Liz said as she joined Jason on the couch. The party had wrapped up almost an hour ago. Their son was upstairs in his room sleeping, so they were enjoying some time together. "Michael has two more cousins."

"When are you guys going shopping?" Jason urged his wife closer and relaxed further when she put her head on his shoulder. Having everyone over had been great. Now he got to enjoy some quiet time with his girl which in his opinion was always the best way to end the day.

"On Wednesday. Both Gia and Em are off. Skye is going to play hooky to join us." Liz made her own hours and she hadn't hesitated to tell Georgie to take the day off. "We are going to spend an insane amount of money." Liz laughed as she admitted that. They were not even going to try to control themselves.

"Is Diane going with you?" Jason let his hand move up and down Elizabeth's back. The soft sigh she let out side that she was enjoying that.

Liz let out a soft hum when Jason slipped his hand under the hem of her shirt so that his warm skin was moving over hers. It always felt so good when he touched her. As he made another sweep of her back she started having trouble concentrating on the conversation. "What did you say?" She had totally missed his last comment.

"I asked if Diane was going shopping with you." Jason repeated his question as a slow smile formed on his face. The flush to the skin let him know why his girl had missed what he said. He kept his hand moving and when he reached her neck he let his fingers tangle in her hair a bit, which made her shiver.

"No." Liz had to think for a minute before answering. "She wants our gifts to be a surprise. Before they left she said that we didn't need to throw her a shower." That was probably to help keep the secret. This afternoon the attorney did confirm that she and Francis were restricted from speaking about certain details until the adoption was official.

Jason was about to say something when they heard Michael fussing over the monitor. He was cutting his molars so there had been a few late nights recently. It was frustrating when your child was in pain and you couldn't do much about it.

"I'll go check." Liz said as she stood up.

"Meet me back here." Jason requested. He didn't volunteer to go up because he had a plan. "If he's really fussy give a holler."

"Okay." Liz said walking out of the room, she could feel Jason's gaze on her bottom and the urge to fan herself was super strong.

With his wife upstairs Jason got to his feet to put his plan into motion.

* * *

"What's all this?" Liz asked coming into the living room. Michael was easily soothed tonight. So she had come back downstairs.

"Is this your way of saying I'm no longer giving you enough romance." Jason joked. He had put on some music and dimmed the lights.

"You are very romantic." Liz came to where he was standing and smiled up at him. "I wasn't expecting it tonight."

"That's the best time for it." Jason said putting his hands on her hips and bringing her closer. As their son got older they sometimes didn't have time for a long session of love making, but he did his best to make sure she stayed satisfied. Not just physically, but also emotionally. He started swaying them to the music. Nat King Cole was on and it reminded him of their wedding. "I love you."

"I love you so much." Liz leaned further into him and enjoyed being in Jason's arms. When I Fall In Love came on and she smiled. This song always took her back to their wedding. Their anniversary hadn't been that long ago and they returned to Malibu to celebrate.

They danced around the living room as their song played. When the closing strands faded away Jason looked down at his wife and could see in her eyes that she was happy. That mattered to him more than anything. He dipped his head and covered her lips with his. When Elizabeth opened to him he moaned as her sweetness exploded on his tongue.

She went up on her toes to get closer as her fingers speared into his hair. Jason was an amazing kisser. She was fortunate that he didn't make her wait until they were making love to experience that. Kissing was something they did often over the course of their day. He wasn't rushing them and her moans said that she appreciated that.

When he pulled his mouth from hers Jason rested his forehead against Elizabeth's for a moment. She made him feel so much that sometimes he just couldn't handle it. He was already shaking and they were just getting started. Her lips brushed the underside of his jaw and his whole body tightened. He took her mouth again as he moved them over to the couch.

They went down with him over her. His shirt went first and while they were parted Elizabeth took the opportunity to remove hers as well. It was quickly followed by her bra. His mouth found hers again before moving south so that he could pay attention to her breasts. Liz swore her eyes crossed that felt so incredible. Jason placed a soft kiss on her chest in the valley between the soft mounds and that small bit of gentleness made her eyes burn. No matter what they were doing he always took the time to let her know she was cherished. That's what that kiss was. Him telling her that she was precious to him.

The rest of their clothes were removed and by the time he joined his body to hers Elizabeth was crying. He hated to see her cry, but he was smart enough to get that these tears were because of how much she was feeling. He felt the same way. There were times he tried in vain to find the words so he could tell his wife just how much she meant to him. He usually failed, but he was blessed enough that she got it anyway.

They rocked together slowly letting the love between them build until it was simply too huge to hold onto. He felt her go over and allowed himself to follow. After pulling his body from hers he shifted them so that they were lying facing one another. He gave her another soft kiss before wiping the tears that were still failing.

"Sorry." Liz was feeling so much.

Jason kissed her again. "You don't have to apologize for how you feel." Reaching behind him he grabbed the blanket that was on the back of the couch and covered them up. "I love you." He needed to tell her again.

"I love you too." Liz snuggled close and tried to get control of herself. She was still crying and couldn't seem to stop. Explaining was going on wouldn't happen so Elizabeth didn't even try. Instead she just enjoyed having Jason so close. He was warm and she let the sound of his heartbeat under her ear relax her.

He knew the instant she fell asleep. They needed to go upstairs but there wasn't a rush. He wanted to enjoy this for a bit before moving.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	87. Chapter 87

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 87

"I need to go to the store." Liz had thought about how she wanted to go about this before making her call. Normally if she had to go out she would call Marco and he would come to the house to pick her up. Which was why she kept trips out to a minimum, she felt bad making him come all the way out here and only to drive back downtown.

"Okay." Jason wasn't sure why his wife was calling to tell him this. He didn't require her to alert him about her leaving the house. Then it occurred to him that she might be checking to see if he needed something. "I don't need anything."

"I need something, which is why I'm calling you. I need you to come get me and take me to the store." Interrupting his day wasn't something she ever did. The only reason she was doing it now was because of what she wanted to pick up.

Jason paused for a moment. "Twenty minutes." He couldn't ever recall her asking him to cut his day short, not even when she was working through the situation with Steven. "I'm guessing that I'm not coming back today?" He needed to give Angie a heads up.

"No. Work probably won't be happening." Or at least Liz expected that to be the case. She could be wrong, but honestly she didn't think she was.

"Okay. Twenty minutes." Jason said ending the call and looking at the phone like it was going to give him the answer to what was going on.

* * *

Nineteen minutes later he was walking through the front door. Elizabeth was standing in the foyer waiting. Her coat was already on, which indicated that they were heading right back out. Instead of saying anything Jason hit the remote and started the car again. "Is Michael at the Towers?" He was guessing the answer was yes.

"No. The kids are having a playdate at the Corelli house today. Diane called this morning and asked everyone to come over because her meeting with the city council was rescheduled for tomorrow." The attorney probably alerted Jason to the change before calling to see if the kids could get together. Mentioning the children might not have occurred to her because it didn't affect Jason's day. Michael would be home before his dad. Or that should have been the case.

Since they had the house to themselves this was the perfect time for this errand. Liz was convinced it was needed after she fell asleep on the couch in her studio. She was supposed to be writing out plotlines today, but the couch did her in. This wasn't the first time a nap blindsided her. In the past couple of weeks she always seemed to be sleepy, if she wasn't hungry. "Michael and Dante are becoming pretty much inseparable."

"Self-preservation." Jason said laughing. Diane had mentioned the cancelled meeting but not the playdate. Which was fine. Last minute gatherings happened often. "They are outnumbered."

"I didn't call Marco since you have Rory with you." Liz let her husband know.

"That's fine. Where are we headed?" Jason looked over at his girl. She looked so pretty standing there. The smile on her face reminded him of how she looked when they were sitting on the balcony of their hotel in Palermo. With the second council meeting for the year done, Jason didn't need to go back for another six months. While they were sitting there she had remarked on how the light was different from any she had every experienced. He wasn't sure what that meant, but he knew that it made her happy which was all that mattered to him.

"The pharmacy." Liz said giving him a shy smile. "I think I might be pregnant." She knew she was springing this on him, but she didn't want to take a home test without him. She also didn't want anyone else to know before he did and having Marco take her to the store would let the cat out of the bag.

Jason didn't say anything for a few moments. "Pregnant?" They had decided together that Elizabeth would not get anymore birth control shots. She had figured out a schedule that made it easy to produce both of her graphic novel series. As for Jason everything in the business was going smoothly. So it was a good time to start trying for another child. Kelly said they were good to go last month but warned them that a pregnancy might not happen right away. "It's too soon for you to be late." He pointed out.

"If I got pregnant right after we saw Kelly I would be about three weeks, maybe four now." Liz had just ended her period when they saw the doctor. It wasn't an office visit for an exam, but to check her hormone levels to see how much of the drug was still in her system.

"Why do you think you're pregnant?" Jason really wanted her to be correct.

"I'm falling asleep during the day. No matter how hard I try to stay awake it just isn't happening. The other day Nadine had to wake me up before she took her lunch break. My breasts are kind of sore. I've also been feeling a little nauseous, not enough to throw up but enough to be uncomfortable. I thought I might be out of whack because we were just overseas, but the sore breasts don't really fit." Liz knew that it sounded like she was jumping the gun. She looked up at him to see what he thought.

"Let's go to the store." Jason put his hand on her lower back as they walked out of the house. He took a moment to lock up but urged her to continue to the car because it was cold out. Rory was already waiting with the door open. "We are going to the pharmacy on Mulberry."

The guard nodded and got back in his SUV to follow them over.

* * *

"There are a lot of tests." Jason commented as they stood in the aisle looking at all the boxes. "Did Kelly make a recommendation as to which brand we should get?"

"No. She said that the test have come a long way since they first hit the market. They are all good. I'm guessing that we should get one of the early indicator tests." Liz said pointing to that section. The selection was still pretty wide. "Digital or non-digital?"

"Digital. I don't want to have to deal with lines that may or may not show up, or may or may not be the right color." Jason wanted a yes or no. "If we get a positive the next step will be to contact Kelly?" He looked over at his wife.

"Yeah. I haven't called her yet." Liz reached for a box to read the directions on the back. Beside her Jason mirrored her action. Liz put her box back and got out her phone. "According to online reviews the one you are holding is the best brand."

"Two?" Jason wanted to know. "That way if one isn't clear then we can look at the other one."

"Francis always says backup is a good thing no matter what the situation." Liz reached for a second box. "Let's go home and I'll take them both."

Jason followed his wife to the cashier telling himself to stay calm.

* * *

"When is Michael coming back home?" Jason asked when Elizabeth returned from the bathroom. She went right there when they returned home.

"Four-thirty." They had plenty of time. Liz was hoping that if they got a positive that Kelly might be able to squeeze them in today. "If I'm pregnant then he'll be just over three when the new baby arrives."

"That is what we were aiming for." Jason covered her hand with his. "Can I come to the shower?"

"Don't you think that's getting ahead of ourselves?" Liz asked him.

"I wanted to make my feelings known. Cody and Matt didn't get to go to the showers for Skye and Em. I'd like to be there." Jason thought that wasn't fair. While it was true that the ladies were doing all the work, the guys did have a hand in the baby coming about.

"I promise you can come to the shower. The guys too." Liz squeezed his hand. "I'll make sure to tell whoever plans it." With Michael big enough that a toddler bed with rail would work, they wouldn't need a new crib. In fact they didn't really need much at all. They could easily afford to get all the necessary supplies themselves, but they knew that gifts were how the crew would show their excitement for the new family member. Or potential family member, Liz said pulling back some. They didn't have a positive test result just yet.

"I want Michael to go to Port Charles Academy." Jason had been thinking on this for a while. "It's where AJ went to school. He enjoyed it. I know for a fact that we can send security." That option appealed to Jason. "We need to fill out an application now, which honestly makes no sense." He thought jumping through hoops for a school was ridiculous. "They have a pre-kindergarten program that is only half a day we can enroll him in that at three."

"Where did you go to school?" Liz wasn't surprised by this announcement. Before they got married Carly had mentioned if she and AJ had children and raised them in Port Charles they would go to the school.

"I also went to Port Charles Academy before leaving for boarding school. I don't remember my experience." He said with a shrug because Elizabeth would know that. "I also don't think you are going to find me on the wall of fame." He said with a wicked grin. AJ's picture was more than likely up there. "I wonder if they took down Edward's picture after the scandal." Even though his grandfather didn't face charges the local news organizations had a field day with his connection to Lucky Spencer. Stories were still popping up from time to time because Spencer's whereabouts were unknown. At least to the police.

"If Michael gets accepted I'm sure they will have a tour. We can sneak a peek at the wall then." Liz was thinking that the school would not pass up the opportunity to have another student that was connected to the Quartermaine family. Rich parents made fundraising much easier. "What is the plan if he doesn't get in?" All decisions would be made together, but she knew that Jason had a backup plan ready to go. "Private tutor?" She guessed. From a security standpoint it just made sense.

"Yes. There are already five kids, and there is a good chance in the next few years there will be more. With them all being so close together in age we can hire someone and create our own school." Jason was guessing that everyone else with children was looking at PCA as well. They all faced the same dilemma of their children being potential targets. That photographer almost getting to Viv had been scary.

"If Michael doesn't get in, no one else probably will. It sounds egotistical but our family connections will ensure spots for everyone else." Liz would have no problem throwing around her name to get Francis and Diane's kids in if necessary. "Actually Viv should get in with no problem, like her cousins." Brook Lynn already attended the school, and her sister was set to join her when she was old enough.

Jason shook his head. "Em got expelled from PCA, so I wouldn't count on it."

"Seriously?" Liz asked stunned.

"She got caught with drugs on her." Jason explained what happened. "The school has a zero tolerance policy about that. Grandmother said Edward was livid. He regularly wrote large checks to the school and he felt that should buy Em a way around the rules." Just another example of the old man thinking that he didn't have to walk the same path as everyone else.

"We can fill out the application this week and get it in. The sooner we know if he's been accepted the sooner we can make plans." Liz gave her agreement to the school.

"The fact that you are teaching him German will look good on the application." Jason had been surprised to learn that his wife was fluent in the language. It wasn't something that had come up until she called her parents from Palermo during this last trip. He had heard her speaking to the housekeeper. It went without saying that if they were pregnant she would teach their second child as well.

"I'm thinking by kindergarten he'll be ready to start learning Italian." Liz loved listening to Jason speak the language. She was picking it up slowly, so she and Michael could practice together when he started his lessons.

"Sounds like a plan." Jason was hoping to raise any children they had to be global citizens. He wanted to show his family as much of the world as possible. The alarm on his phone beeped. "Ready?"

"Yeah." Liz let Jason help her to her feet and wondered just how overprotective he was going to be if she was pregnant. Skye had moments where she wanted to kill Cody. Matt on the other hand had been doting but not overbearing. Liz paused outside the bathroom which of course made Jason stop walking too. "Okay." She just needed a minute.

Jason squeezed her hand before they walked into the bathroom. The tests were set up on the side of the sink on top of the boxes. Since they got the ones with the digital readouts there was no mistaking the results. "Pregnant." It was in bold black letters in both small windows. "We're pregnant."

Liz's mind was blank. It wasn't until this morning that she connected the small clues as being a possible pregnancy, and now it was a reality. She should say something but words were failing her. That had to be a first in her lifetime. Looking up at Jason she could see the shock in his eyes, as well as the sheer joy. They had created a life and it was growing inside of her this very minute. Unbidden her hand covered her stomach over where their child would be.

"Elizabeth?" Jason's hand was shaking as he gently placed it on her shoulder. He had done some research on pregnancy when both Skye and Em were carrying their children. All that knowledge was going to be applied to Elizabeth now. The biggest battle he was going to have was resisting the urge to wrap her up in cotton. She was still the same strong and capable person she was before they took they tests. He was going to have to remind himself of that often. Otherwise his beautiful wife would kill him.

She opened her mouth to assure him that she was fine. That she was happy. What happened instead was her bursting into tears. Jason's arms came around her and in response she gripped him tight as the tears continued to flow. When he picked her up she put her head on his shoulder and tried to calm down. He put her on the couch so that he could get her a glass of water.

"Here." Jason noticed as he handed over the drink that his shaking was getting worse. The amount of emotion running through him was off the charts.

She drank half the glass before handing it to him to finish off. "We're going to have another baby." This would be their first child together, but there would be no difference between this baby and Michael.

"We are." Jason was still letting the knowledge settle in. "You might think that because we're already parents I wouldn't be so terrified." He ran a hand over his neck. "That isn't the case."

"I know what you mean. Pregnancy is new for us." Liz was nodding as she answered. "I need to call Kelly's office. My phone is in my purse."

"I'll get it." Jason did and took his seat back on the coffee table. By tomorrow he was going to locate some chill, but at the moment there was none to be found. He knew that you didn't announce a pregnancy this early so he was going to need to find a way not to spill the secret. He had no idea how Cody stayed quiet for so long. "What did they say?" He asked when she hung up.

"They want me to come in and have bloodwork done." Liz explained what the nurse told her. "By the time we get there they'll be ready for me. I should have confirmation of the home test by the time the lab closes later today."

"I'll call the guys and tell them to come out." Jason was sending for Marco and Rory because the more security they had the better he would feel. "Would you like to stop for lunch while we're out?"

"We can pick something up to bring back to the house. I can't guarantee more tears won't happen. The last thing I want is a newspaper story about us having marital problems because someone snaps a picture." Liz said chuckling. Yes they did make the local gossip rag from time to time. So did their friends and family. Even if Jason wasn't a Quartermaine by birth, his alleged activities would make him the object of public interest.

"What do you feel like having?" He would have a runner grab it.

"Alfredo." Liz wanted some pasta and something cheesy.

* * *

It was almost one in the morning and Jason was standing in the kitchen drinking a glass of water. Life was so crazy. In one moment everything could change. They had gotten confirmation of the pregnancy from the lab and Elizabeth now had her first prenatal appointment booked. In the coming months her tummy was going to grow round as the life they created prepared himself or herself to be born. He was still trying to wrap his mind around that, his heart though had no problem accepting it. He already loved that new life, and that in turn made him love his wife and son even more.

Putting his glass in the sink he walked upstairs stopping first in Michael's room. Jason did his best every day to be a dad who was worthy of his son. His eyes moved to the wall where the photo gallery was hung. His brother and Carly smiled from several frames. Jason still missed his big brother. He would always miss him. He and Elizabeth were already talking about the deceased couple to Michael so that he would know them. After fixing the blankets Jason kissed his son and left him to sleep.

Down the hall he quietly entered the master suite. In their bed his wife was sleeping. He stood at the bottom of the large piece of furniture and tried to figure out what he did to deserve her. To deserve this life that he had with her. She turned over and a wide smile came to his face. Already the pregnancy was changing things because his girl was generally a light sleeper who took a while to fall asleep, but she had passed out almost immediately after getting in bed. When he got up she hadn't even moved.

He got under the covers and his girl rolled over so she could snuggle up. This right here was heaven. His wife in his arms, and his son sleeping down the hall. This time next year their next child would be down the hall as well. "I love you." Jason just had to say it. He pulled up the covers so Elizabeth stayed warm and let himself drift off to sleep.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	88. Chapter 88

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Chapter 88

"One chocolate milkshake, and one cup of tea." Jason brought over drinks for his wife and his grandmother. "Can I get you ladies anything else?"

"We're good." Liz said taking a pull from the straw. Chocolate milkshakes were her current craving. Not that she needed a reason to want chocolate. However milkshakes were not her favorite thing. Elizabeth usually preferred her ice cream in a waffle cone. "Thank you." She tilted her head back in a silent request for a kiss. Which he of course granted.

Jason joked that he was kind of disappointed because he wasn't getting a chance to show how awesome a husband he was. Cody had to drive to Rochester to get blueberry donuts from a specific shop for Skye when she was six months pregnant. So far Jason's moment of glory was going to the supermarket at five in the morning to buy kiwis because Elizabeth wanted some. He was waiting for his wife to step it up.

"If you need anything just let me know." Jason said after lifting his lips from hers. Since they were done with their lunch he grabbed the plates and took them inside. He enjoyed the times he could pamper Elizabeth because she was always doing things for him and Michael.

"I like that he has no problem being at your beck and call." Lila said with a grin. Jason had to leave the gathering to get the milkshake. "You have him well trained." She said laughing. "It didn't even take you very long."

"Michael has us both well trained, I just piggybacked onto that." Liz said with a grin of her own. "Jason has been very attentive." She said looking over at him as her smile softened. "I really could not have asked for a better partner for this pregnancy." He hadn't missed a single doctor's appointment and anything she wanted he did. Elizabeth also learned that her husband gave a mean foot rub. Not a massage because Kelly said those were not safe, but it still felt great. Plus he used warm towels. Yeah, she was totally pampered.

Lila just loved watching her grandchildren being happy. All four of them were having wonderful lives. There was a part of her that was sad that Edward, Alan, and Monica were missing this. Lila understood, and continued to support, that the children were not changing their minds there. Some things simply couldn't be forgiven. All these years later she and Edward were still working on the damage done to their union. "I have been enjoying seeing the maternity clothing you have been wearing." Fashions for those expecting had come very far from the days when it was all about camouflage.

"A slip over your head dress is my new wardrobe staple. I have them in every color imaginable." The mommy to be laughed. Today she was in a pink lace sleeveless dress with pink sneakers, another common clothing items these days. Jason had to tie them for her but he never complained. Since they were having everyone over she wore the earrings Lila gave her. She tried to wear them whenever Grandmother was in attendance.

"You are making it look good." Skye came over and joined the two ladies. They were at the Morgan house for the party. It was supposed to be an outdoor event but rain had changed that idea. Now they were spread out on the lower floor of the house. "The kids are napping."

"Good. Then Nadine and Summer can relax." Liz didn't expect the two ladies to work while at the party, but when they were around the kids they tended to take over. The other nannies were also off today but not in attendance.

"Hey." Georgie was the next lady to join them. "Your husband just walked over and ripped Michael from my arms." The brunette said being dramatic. "I was getting my cuddle on and bam, Jason announced nap time. I just got Michael from Em." Georgie said pretending to pout. "I'm going to be traumatized for a good long while."

"You can be first in line for cuddles when he gets up from his nap. Better?" Liz asked her friend.

"Yeah, and I'm holding you to that." Georgie took her cuddle time seriously. "When are we getting to the gender reveal?" That was the point of the party. The shower was next month, but today the Morgans were telling everyone if they were having a boy or a girl.

"Dessert. The white cake in the middle of the buffet table has the answer. When we slice it open the inside will either be blue or pink." Liz shared with everyone. Not sticking her finger in the cake when it arrived this morning had been so hard.

"So you guys don't know?" Skye would never had been able to pull that off. Her curiosity would have had her cutting the cake when it arrived at the house.

"Nope. Kelly sent the results of the sonogram directly to the baker." Liz was more than ready to find out. Their appointment had been two weeks ago, but today was the only time everyone was available. "Do you know what else we don't know?" She said looking at Georgie.

"What?" The brunette asked her friend.

"The date of your wedding." Liz gave Georgie a look.

"We've been engaged for three weeks." Georgie knew her boss was just messing with her. Still she gave as good as she got. "We can't all get married the next day."

"Of course not. You aren't that awesome." Liz said with attitude. Or it was supposed to be that way but she couldn't keep a straight face.

"What's so funny?" Emily wanted to know as she sat down.

"I'm trying to give Georgie grief about not setting a wedding date yet, and failing hard." Liz was still laughing.

"It won't be a long engagement." Emily predicted with a smirk. "Milo is terrified of Felicia." Georgie's parents had come to Port Charles last week to celebrate the big event. Whatever the blonde woman said to the youngest Giambetti brother had left him wide eyed.

"She threatened to put an ancient Aztec curse on him if he screwed up. It wasn't necessary though, because Milo is practically perfect." Georgie said with a wide smile.

"I think my teeth hurt after that." Skye was happy for her friend.

"Like you and Cody aren't disgustingly sweet when you two are together." Emily poked fun at her sister. "He calls you the cutest pet names." Of which there were a variety. Skye blushed and the ladies all laughed.

"The kids are all sleeping." Nadine joined the rest of the ladies. She had sat upstairs to make sure no one got up. Terri, who worked for the Corellis, mentioned that Kristina had gotten adept at climbing out of her crib. Diane and Francis were considering moving her to a toddler bed with rails because they were worried the little girl was going to hurt herself.

"Thank you." Liz wasn't going to tell her friend that she could stand down. Mostly because it wouldn't do any good.

"Are the color choices by you and Jason deliberate?" Gia wanted to know. "You are in pink and he's in blue. Are those your gender preferences?" The doctor asked the question that she and Em had been discussing earlier.

"Nope." Liz shook her head. "We actually don't have a preference. A girl will be just as welcome as a boy. No matter what I still get to visit both sides of the store because I love shopping for Lily, Viv, Kristina, Brook Lynn, and Savannah. Don't get me wrong I have moments where I look at Diane and think she has the best of both worlds. Then I remember what it was like growing up and having a sibling who was the same gender as me. All the stuff we shared and I know at times my brother felt excluded." She shared with her friends. "I'm hoping the kids will be close no matter what, and the important thing is that they both know they are loved."

"We want another one." Skye shared with everyone. "Cody wants another girl." She said laughing. "Because one spoiled princess isn't enough."

"He just wants to be the only guy in the house." Gia thought she knew what that was about.

"I think so too." Skye just smirked as she replied to her friend.

"We are stopping with just Viv." Emily shared next. "We love being parents, but we think that if we add to our family it's going to diminish the quality of time we can spend with those kids. We'd rather have one happy child then to have two or more kids that resent each other because they are jockeying for time. Does that make sense?" She had learned some painful lessons growing up in the mansion.

"It does." Liz assured her sister. "You don't have to feel guilty about making that decision. Viv is going to have a lot of cousins, so being lonely will not happen."

"Good catch." Lila said with a wink. "If anything some of the other kids will probably be jealous that Viv doesn't have to share things with anyone else."

"True." Emily was worried about that, which was another reason she was happy to be home. Viv would be surrounded by kids her age and sleepovers were going to be common. The five girls were already inseparable most of the time. Brook Lynn was enjoying being a big sister to them all.

"Ladies, we should join the guys. Johnny just got caught attempting to sneak a peek at the cake." Diane had been on the phone to see if Claire and Shawn were coming over. The other attorney was still having trouble socializing with the Morgans. Neither Liz nor Jason was holding a grudge, but the other lawyer was still embarrassed.

"Matt probably put him up to it." Emily was laughing and the look on Gia's face was making it hard to stop. "I know Matt was tired of waiting five minutes after we arrived."

"I'm kind of disappointed. I figured if anyone could get the information early without getting caught it would be Johnny." Skye pointed out.

"The desk job must have made him soft." Liz was also laughing.

"I will pay you to say that to his face." Gia got up and helped her friend to her feet. "I want to know the gender as well, so I'm glad Johnny got caught."

"What she said." Nadine could admit it now that someone else did.

"Divas." Liz said rolling her eyes. "Come on." She led the group back into the house to the dining room where the cake was waiting. "I hear that we had an attempt to jailbreak the cake." She said waddling over to where Jason was standing.

"Yeah." Jason was surprised no one had tried before Johnny. "I think Francis put him up to it. Or maybe Cody." He said looking over at his friends. "You could at least look guilty O'Brien."

"If I had a better look out I wouldn't have gotten caught." He wasn't going to name anyone because he wasn't a snitch, but someone was getting payback.

Liz just reached for the cake knife that was on the table. "Is everyone here?"

"We're all here so you can cut the cake." Francis was ready to find out what the newest Morgan baby was going to be. He had girl in the pool. No money was changing hands, it was just for bragging rights.

"Ready?" Jason asked as he placed his hand over Elizabeth's. This was a lot like when they cut the cake at their wedding. She nodded and they made the first slice. When they pulled the knife out to make the second slice a small piece of cake stuck to the blade so they got to see what the interior of the cake looked like.

Elizabeth started crying, she couldn't help it. Turning into Jason she let him finish cutting the first slice. "Sorry." She said facing front again. She took the napkin that her guy was holding out for her. "Some of the cake fell out." She explained to her friends what happened. All the smiles let her know they were happy that she was happy.

"Grandmother why don't you come get the first piece." Jason had cut the portion of the dessert that was in front of he and Elizabeth so no one would see the cake until it was on the plate.

"I would be delighted." Lila was pushed over by Alice and as Jason pulled the slice from the cake the older woman smiled.

"Why don't you make the announcement?" Liz suggested, she was still wiping away tears.

Instead of speaking Lila took the saucer and held it up so everyone could see. The pale blue cake with white buttercream frosting announced that the Morgans were expecting another son.

"A boy!" Emily was already reaching for tissues. "We know what color balloons to get for the shower now."

"What theme are you guys going with?" Georgie wanted to know as she took a saucer of cake of passed it down.

"We are going with a safari theme. Lots of baby animals on the walls." Liz smiled at Jason. It was inspired by all the books about Africa that he read to Michael. "The boutique downtown has a lot of things to tie into that, so we are going to be registering there."

"The one Skye and Emily used?" Gia just wanted to be sure. The group tended to be very loyal in terms of the places they did business. If you treated them well, you had customers for life. They had shopped there for Diane's and Lois's gifts as well.

Liz nodded as she helped to hand out more cake. "We are out of napkins. Keep handing out cake and I'll get more."

"Okay." Jason sliced more cake. "Renaldo, can you please check on my wife I think the napkins are on one of the higher shelves." Jason didn't want her climbing up on the stepladder.

"No problem." Renaldo was happy for the excuse to have a moment alone with Liz. He cleared his throat when he walked into the kitchen. "If you step up on that Jason is not going to be happy."

"Fine." She said trying not to scowl as she folded up the stepladder. It wasn't even that high off the ground, and given her height she used it often without incident.

Renaldo walked over and took down the package of napkins. "Since it's just us, I wanted to say thank you for all your help." He had been battling nerves all afternoon, but no one noticed.

"You're welcome." Liz didn't expect any extra praise. "You would have been fine on your own. Nadine has mentioned that you are pretty romantic."

"I've never proposed to someone before." Renaldo hadn't even given much thought about marriage before Nadine came into his life. Now he didn't want to think about living without her. That was sign he needed to let her know he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. "I appreciate you helping me figure out how to set everything up." He knew how to put candles and flowers on a table, but that was about it. Thanks to Liz the entire main room of the penthouse was something out of a fantasy.

"You remember my fee?" She asked ready to rejoin the main group.

"I will contact you first when she says yes." Renaldo replied smiling, he knew Nadine was going to accept.

"Also just a reminder that Malibu is a wonderful honeymoon destination." Liz knew that Nadine enjoyed it when they went out to the west coast.

"I'll let you know what we decide." Renaldo just had to not jump out of his skin between now and when they left.

* * *

"Hi." Liz leaned against the closed front door and looked at her guy who was holding their son. Once again it was just them and Michael in the house. Their friends had helped them cleanup, which was typical of group parties, and then everyone left for home.

"Hi." Jason held out his hand and when she put hers on top he took the family into the living room. Michael was put into his gated area and the little boy immediately reached for his blocks. He played well with his cousins, and just as well by himself. With his son happy Jason turned and placed his hands on Elizabeth's tummy. He could feel their younger son moving around. "He's busy."

"I think he likes cake." Liz covered Jason's hand shifting it so that he could follow their son's movement. "He's turning." At the moment he still had some room. In another a few months that wouldn't be the case. "So I think you have something to say to me." She said in sing song voice.

"You were right." Jason had no problem admitting he was wrong. They had been lying in bed when he asked her what she thought what the baby was. She said boy. "You know I said the baby was a girl just because you said boy, right?"

Liz just arched a brow. She did know that but she wasn't going to admit it. "Don't try to justify it Morgan you lost, and that means I get to pick the name."

"We agreed on names." He reminded her.

"We agreed on six different first names, all unisex. We hadn't settled on one though." Liz countered with a smile. "The good thing is that no matter which one I select you will be happy." The rule was that no name could go on the list unless they both really liked it.

"So what is your choice?" Jason moved his hands again as their son moved. "Before you say it, I have a request. I don't want to tell anyone what we picked until he's here."

"Okay." Liz nodded, she liked that they would be keeping something private. "Cameron Alexander." Each entry on the list had two middle names with it. One for each gender.

"Cameron Alexander Morgan." Jason said the entire name. "I like that. I like that both boys have middle names that start with A."

"I like that too." Liz leaned forward and was met halfway for a kiss. "I'm going to go to the bathroom, and then we can call my parents." They were coming to stay for a few weeks when the new baby arrived, so they didn't fly in for the reveal party. "You two behave while I'm gone."

"We'll try but I make no guarantees." Jason said grinning. When his wife was out of the room he walked over to where his son was playing. "Are you ready for a little brother?" He wasn't sure if his eldest son really understood what was happening. It would become clear when Cameron was here.

"Brother." Michael grinned as he repeated what his dad said.

"How about some juice before we call your grandparents?" Jason scooped up his son and tickled him as they went to the kitchen.

* * *

Thanks for the reviews!


	89. Chapter 89

ABC/DISNEY owns GH. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

Epilogue

"Mom, have you seen my sneakers?" Michael called from the top of the steps.

"Check the mudroom." Liz was standing at the bottom of the stairs. "Cameron, Jake, are you getting ready?" Their family now consisted of three boys. Jake had arrived two years after Cam was born. While the first pregnancy had been textbook, there had been complications with Jake. Liz ended up having an emergency C-section. That one scare was enough for them to decide that they were done having children, even though Kelly said the next pregnancy might be fine. They had toyed with the idea of adopting again but by the time Jake was two it was clear to both parents that their family was complete.

As Michael came down the stairs and walked past the photo gallery that included pictures of AJ and Carly, Liz asked herself for the millionth time where the years had gone. The little boy who had come to them in a time of sorrow was not so little anymore. He would be twelve this year and was already taller than her. It wasn't like that was an unattainable goal though. Cameron was her height now, and Jake wasn't too far behind.

Michael's red hair was still there and after all the drama with Edward ended they learned that Carly's mom was a natural redhead so that was probably where it came from. He also still had those bright blue Quartermaine eyes. A trait that he shared with both his younger brothers. Sometimes Liz looked at her eldest son and was struck with just how much he looked like AJ, other times he was all Carly.

"Found them." Michael came out holding his footwear. All the boys tended to dress like their dad if they could get away with it. Blue jeans ruled in this house. Jason had offered to upgrade his wardrobe with a rueful grin, but she said it was fine. From time to time she made the boys wear dress shirts, khakis, or shoes. The decree was usually meet with looks of horror, but they didn't argue. So for the most part she left them alone. Especially since they all wore uniforms to school.

"Are you ready to go? Dad will be here shortly." Liz wanted to know. Jason had to go into the office to handle something.

"Yeah." Michael sat on the stairs and put the dark blue sneakers on. He was in dark wash jeans and a light gray with dark gray sleeves baseball inspired shirt. "I just need to grab my new game. Dad and Uncle Francis said I could bring it over if both Dante and I got A's on our math tests." The two boys had been best friends their whole lives. Michael, like his brothers, was on the honor roll. His parents didn't tolerate slacking in school. Besides if he didn't keep his grades up he wouldn't be allowed to play baseball, and he pretty much lived for that.

"Go get it." Liz said with a smile. Looking up the stairs she saw Cameron come down. He was in blue jeans with the NYC t-shirt they got on their last trip down to the city, and white sneakers. Their middle child favored her in terms of hair color. He was also the only one of the boys to sport curls. "Ready?"

"Yup. Is Cheyenne back home?" Cameron and his cousin were super tight. Ned and Lois's third daughter was generally over the house, if the kids weren't at the Ashton home. Even at school they hung out. That wasn't surprising because they were the youngest kids in their class. They were only one grade below Michael despite the age difference. Neither mom was letting the school skip anymore grades because they didn't want their kids to feel like out casts.

"She returned from London yesterday. So she'll be there." Liz promised her son. "What mischief are the two of you going to get up too?"

"We are in the middle of a game of Go." Cameron said with a grin. Since the games took so long to play whenever they had to stop they put markers on the board so that they could pick up the contest the next time they were together. They also took turns holding the board, and neither one ever cheated. It was a point of honor between them.

"Who won the last one?" Liz didn't really understand the game. The only reason that didn't dent her ego was because Jason didn't either.

"Cheyenne, but that's okay because I won the time before that." Cameron said heading into the living room to see what Mikey was up to.

"Jake?" Liz called upstairs.

"Coming." He replied appearing at the top of the stairs. He was in dark wash carpenter jeans and a button down plaid shirt. "I couldn't find the socks I wanted to wear." He said with a lopsided grin. "I wanted to show Gabe and Joey my new Ricky and Morty gear." Gabriel was Renaldo and Nadine's son. Like the Hunter family, they had decided one child was right for them. Joey was Cody and Skye's second child. The three boys had been born within days of one another and hadn't been far apart since.

"If you put your clothes away that might be easier." Liz tilted her head towards the living room with only the smallest smirk. Of all the boys her youngest son was the messiest. She had been the same way at his age, but wasn't ever going to admit that although her mother might bust her at some point.

Her parents now lived in Port Charles. Jeff was the Chief of Staff at General Hospital and they still loved spoiling their grandchildren. Her parents had been adopted by the crew, and the only reason they weren't going to be at dinner tonight was because they were in Memphis with Steven and Olivia.

"I guess it's time to clean my room." Jake flashed her another grin, a mirror image of his dad's, before joining his brothers.

He was an almost carbon copy of his dad. He had brown hair when he was born, but it fell out to be replaced with blonde. Liz was thinking that he was going to the biggest of her boys because at seven he was already ahead of both his brothers in terms of height at the same age. He was her budding artist. He was also the quietest of the group and the hardest to get to know. Once you had his loyalty though, you never lost it.

Michael came back out of the living room as she was slipping on her black high heeled boots. "Is Emma coming today?" He wanted to know.

Liz wasn't surprised he was asking this while his brothers weren't around. She didn't tolerate teasing between her boys but was guessing that it still took place when she wasn't with them. Michael was in the awkward phase where he was starting to notice girls, but not really sure what to do about it. Emma was Kristina's best friend and a frequent guest at gatherings these days. Even if he didn't know the young woman through his cousin he would know her from school.

"I don't know if she'll be there." Liz told her son. "She's been over the last couple of times so the chances are good she'll be there today." Liz had noticed the young lady watching Michael when she thought no one was looking. They were too young to date, but hanging out under supervision was not a problem. "You can invite her to come to the house the next time everyone is over." Liz let her son know.

"Okay. Thanks Mom." Michael went back into the living room to watch television until Dad got home.

She was checking her messages when the front door opened. "Hey." Her guy didn't look stressed so Elizabeth relaxed. A search warrant had been delivered earlier in the day and Jason had to be at the warehouse while it was being executed. She had been only a little worried that he was going to end up going downtown to police headquarters. It wasn't that she thought he was careless enough to get caught, it was that the police took any opportunity to haul him into custody. Arrests had been rare since they had the boys, but from time to time they still occurred. That was when Liz was truly grateful that Diane was so awesome. Because nights away from the family didn't happen.

"Sorry." Jason didn't bother to take off his jacket because they were going to be leaving right away. While he knew that the search was taking place, he didn't know he would have to be there. That generally wasn't the case.

"Don't be." Liz didn't let him feel guilty at times like this. He never missed anything the boys did, and he was always there when she needed him. That was all that mattered. "Everything taken care of?"

"It's all good. Johnny and Francis were with me. We hung out and played cards." Jason reached out and with a hand on her hip urged his wife closer for a kiss. It wouldn't matter if one of the boys came out because they were used to seeing their parents kissing. Jason made sure that his sons knew how to treat the people in their lives. "You look pretty."

"Thanks." Liz said blushing. He could still do that to her. She was in an ivory peplum top paired with black jeans. Both items were favorites from her wardrobe, she was also wearing the hoop earrings her boys got her last Mother's Day. "The boys are ready."

Jason nodded and kissed her again. "I figured we were heading right out." The Pauls were hosting today which was why Cody wasn't at the warehouse. "Guys." Jason called out and he heard footstep. He rarely had to repeat himself.

While the boys put on their jackets Liz gave Jason a good looking over. This was another period of grief for their family. Lila had passed away, peacefully in her sleep, just over a month ago. The loss was still painful. In recent years her physical health had deteriorated but her mind had remained sharp as ever. Edward had passed away a few years back, and for their grandmother all the grandkids had attended the service. The recent funeral marked one of the rare times that any of the siblings spoke with their parents. Alan and Monica had returned home for Lila's service, which was to be expected, and left a week later after the reading of the will. Jason didn't look tired anymore, which was a good thing.

"Everyone have everything they are taking with them?" Jason checked and got three nods. He grinned when he noticed that Jake was taking the newest issue of Destined with him. Elizabeth's third graphic novel had launched three years ago when Legion finally wrapped up. This one was proving to be as successful as the other two. None of the boys knew what their mother did, which made the fact that Jake was already talking about maybe one day creating a comic book of his own pretty funny. "Head out to the car." Jason hit the remote to turn the SUV back on.

Elizabeth grabbed the large plastic food storage container that was on the table in the foyer. She had been baking last night because the Morgans were sharing responsibility for dessert with the Hunters. When Liz asked Skye what she should bring 'a lot of brownies' had been the response.

"I'll carry that." Jason zipped up his jacket covering his long sleeved black t-shirt and took the treats. He had sneaked a few last night when they were being made. This morning he had smiled wide when he noticed that the glass cake stand was filled with brownies for the house. The fact that he could see walnuts in them made him feel good. His girl never failed to spoil him. "Everyone buckled up?" He asked once he was behind the wheel, and got a chorus of yeses.

* * *

"You okay?" Liz asked as they piled out of the car. The boys were already running up the front steps anxious to see their cousins.

"Yeah, it just seems odd to be here without Grandmother." Jason would at some point take a walk in the garden. Skye had promised to make sure the roses continued to flourish. Lila's long time groundskeeper was going to stay on to make sure that they did.

The CEO of ELQ had been stunned to learn that she had inherited the estate. She thought for sure that Emily was going to get it. In fact Skye offered to sign it over to her sister. The youngest Quartermaine child had simply shook her head no, saying their grandmother knew exactly who needed to live in the house. The family of seven would fill the house with noise and love. In addition to Lila Rae and Joseph the Pauls had added to their family through adoption. A set of three siblings Jessica, Riley, and a newborn baby girl they named Caroline had joined the family three years ago.

"I like that Skye is here." Liz knew one of the grandchildren was getting the home, she just wasn't sure who. She knew it wasn't going to be Jason because Lila knew he loved where they lived. "It seems right somehow."

"It does." Jason nodded in agreement. Before they could head to the door another SUV pulled up.

Liz waved at Georgie who was doing the same thing from the front passenger seat. Before she could get out the eldest of the Giambetti kids was hopping to the ground and running for the door. Maxwell, who was a year younger than Jake, was probably looking for Riley. Gregory at four had to wait to be unstrapped. Something he was clearly not happy about. Once his feet hit the ground he too set off for the estate. In the doorway Alice was already waiting to take his coat.

"Brownies?" Georgie pointed to what Jason was holding.

"Yeah, what did you bring?" Liz was guessing pasta of some sort.

"Baked ziti. Gregory won't eat much else right now." Georgie's youngest son was beyond fussy about food. The guys went ahead so it was a good time to talk business. Liz was a powerhouse in the industry and Georgie still ran that empire, now from their very own building. "I spoke with Felix on Friday." The two friends hadn't seen each other before now. "He signed the contract for the fourth series."

Federation One the second series Elizabeth had launched was ending next year. It had been a huge success, which was pretty much what everyone expected of her these days. She had all the final issues completed and locked away in one of her fireproof safes. She had started working on the fourth series late last year which meant by the time it launched later this year she would have about ten issues banked. Working ahead made life so much easier.

"I'm sure he regaled you with how amazing he was in the negotiations." Liz could only imagine the story. The next time they were in Malibu she would get together with her agent who would give her the blow by blow.

"Yes, he said something about a whip and a chair." Georgie said laughing. The man was hilarious. "I think he also mentioned barely surviving."

Liz just laughed harder. It amazed her that all these years later her secret hadn't gotten out. Stan was still tracking to make sure no obsessive fans were going to be a problem. From time to time some folks had to be looked closer at, but for the most part no one had even come close to learning who M. O. Gene really was. "I'll send him some chocolates."

Georgie just cracked up because Felix would sit in his office calling Liz all kinds of names. He didn't do sugar because he was always dieting. "I'm sure his assistant will learn some new words when the box arrives." They walked into the house and shed their outerwear. It was time to put business away.

* * *

The family had grown. It was too big to fit into the dining room so for these dinners they were in the ballroom. From this point forward the weekly gathering would be held in the mansion because it was the only place they could all be in the same room at the same time. While they would break into smaller groups once the meal was done, eating together was the point.

Around the space members of this family, through blood and choice, were eating dessert and talking. The kids were at their own set of tables, not because they couldn't sit with the adults but because they chose not to. They had created their own community and that was respected.

At the rest of the tables the adults were talking about a multitude of topics. Everything from the newest fashion offerings to the coming hockey playoffs to travel plans. It just depended which table you were listening in on.

One common thing that tied to the two halves of this whole together were the smiles. Everyone was happy to be here. This was an event that was looked forward to. This was a chance to come together and just relax.

Liz was sitting at a table with Skye, Emily, and Lois. They were having a very informal board meeting discussing the Nurses' Ball that would take place later in the year. Liz now sat at the head of the board of Lila's foundation and she would be leading the event planning, along with Emily. Skye was providing funding via ELQ, as was Dominque through Deception. Lois was overseeing the talent. They would meet off and on throughout the year until it was time to start putting everything into motion.

At his table Jason had just finished discussing his new bike with the guys. Going on rides with his wife was still his favorite pastime. While Johnny was telling them about the new car he was going to get Jason's eyes moved around the room. Taking a mental family portrait of everyone in attendance. This was everyone who mattered to him. His gaze landed on his wife, the center of his world and holder of his heart. She must have felt his gaze because she looked over and dropped him a quick wink which made him smile. He turned back to his friends feeling happy.

Life wasn't always easy. Sometimes it was downright painful, but as long as you had those you loved around you then everything else could be handled. Having family made it all worthwhile.

* * *

We've come to the end of another story. Thank you so much for coming along on this journey with me. Your continued support means more than you know. This story was for all those folks who love drama served with a side of even more drama. Also for those of you who have been requesting a longer tale.

It was fun to switch things up and not have the bad guys be mobsters. Sometimes family is the hardest thing in life to navigate, and other times it the biggest blessing there is. In this one we got to see both sides of the coin, while watching our favorite couple show that they can handle anything that comes their way.

I'm going to be taking a break to enjoy the holidays and some time with my family. I'll be back with another story sometime next month. I have more stories in the works, as well as one shots for the series. Hopefully some of you will return for them.

So as the calendar turns from one year to the next I wish you all peace, love, and happiness. May this coming year see us being kind to one another.

Thank you for the follows, the favorites, and the reviews!


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